This book introduces readers to the preparation of two-dimensional metal sulfide/oxide for CO2 photoreduction. Based on two-dimensional metal sulfide/oxide materials, this book establishes the structure-to-property relationships of photocatalyst for CO2 photoreduction, and reveals the intrinsic mechanism of the CO2 photoreduction by virtue of the in situ characterization techniques and the density functional theory calculations. It is anticipated that this book will help to identify empirical guidelines for designing and fabricating high-performance catalysts of solar-driven CO2 reduction.

This book presents comprehensive reviews on the latest developments of nanotechnologies to detect and remove pollutants in water, air and food. Polymer nanocomposites, nanoparticles from microbes and the application of nanotechnologies for desalination and agriculture are also discussed. Pollution of water and air by contaminants and diseases is a major health issue leading globally to millions of deaths yearly according to the World Health Organization. Such issue requires advanced methods to clean environmental media.

A comprehensive and timely overview of this important and hot topic, with special emphasis placed on environmental applications and the potential for solar light harvesting. Following introductory chapters on environmental photocatalysis, water splitting, and applications in synthetic chemistry, further chapters focus on the synthesis and design of photocatalysts, solar energy conversion, and such environmental aspects as the removal of water pollutants, photocatalytic conversion of CO2. Besides metal oxide-based photocatalysts, the authors cover other relevant material classes including carbon-based nanomaterials and novel hybrid materials. Chapters on mechanistic aspects, computational modeling of photocatalysis and Challenges and perspectives of solar reactor design for industrial applications complete this unique survey of the subject. With its in-depth discussions ranging from a comprehensive understanding to the engineering of materials and applied devices, this is an invaluable resource for a range of disciplines.

Nanostructured materials with tailored properties are regarded as a fundamental element in the development of future science and technology. Research is still ongoing into the nanosized construction elements required to create functional solids. The recently developed technique, nanocasting, has great advantage over others in terms of the synthesis of special nanostructured materials by the careful choice of suitable elements and nanoengineering steps. This new book summarizes the recent developments in nanocasting, including the principles of nanocasting, syntheses of novel nanostructured materials, characterization methods, detailed synthetic recipes and further possible development in this area. The book focuses on the synthesis of porous solids from the viewpoint of methodology and introduces the science of nanocasting from fundamental principles to their use in synthesis of various materials. It starts by outlining the principles of nanocasting, requirements to the templates and precursors and the tools needed to probe matter at the nanoscale level. It describes how to synthesize nano structured porous solids with defined characteristics and finally discusses the functionalization and application of porous solids. Special attention is given to new developments in this field and future perspectives. A useful appendix covering the detailed synthetic recipes of various templates including porous silica, porous carbon and colloidal spheres is included which will be invaluable to researchers wanting to follow and reproduce nanocast materials. Topics covered in the book include: * inorganic chemistry * organic chemistry * solution chemistry * sol-gel and interface science * acid-base equilibria * electrochemistry * biochemistry * confined synthesis The book gives readers not only an overview of nanocasting technology, but also sufficient information and knowledge for those wanting to prepare various nanostructured materials without needing to search the available literature.

Energy crises and global warming pose serious challenges to researchers in their attempt to develop a sustainable society for the future. Solar energy conversion is a remarkable, clean, and sustainable way to nullify the effects of fossil fuels. The findings of photocatalytic hydrogen production (PCHP) by Fujishima and Honda propose that “water will be the coal for the future”. Hydrogen is a carbon-free clean fuel with a high specific energy of combustion. Titanium oxide (TiO2), graphitic-carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) are three pillars of water splitting photocatalysts owing to their superior electronic and optical properties. Tremendous research efforts have been made in recent years to fabricate visible or solar-light, active photocatalysts. The significant features of various oxide, sulfide, and carbon based photocatalysts for cost-effective hydrogen production are presented in this Special Issue. The insights of sacrificial agents on the hydrogen production efficiency of catalysts are also presented in this issue.

This book comprises a detailed overview on the role of photocatalysts for environmental remediation, hydrogen production and carbon dioxide reduction. Effective ways to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the material via doping, hybrid material, laser light and nanocomposites have been discussed in this book. The book also further elaborates the role of metal nanoparticles, rare earth doping, sensitizers, surface oxygen vacancy, interface engineering and band gap engineering for enhancing the photocatalytic activity. An approach to recover the photocatalytic material via immobilization is also presented. This book brings to light much of the recent research in the development of such semiconductor photocatalytic systems. The book will thus be of relevance to researchers in the field of: material science, environmental science & technology, photocatalytic applications, newer methods of energy generation & conversion and industrial applications.

This book guides beginners in the areas of thin film preparation, characterization, and device making, while providing insight into these areas for experts. As chemically deposited metal oxides are currently gaining attention in development of devices such as solar cells, supercapacitors, batteries, sensors, etc., the book illustrates how the chemical deposition route is emerging as a relatively inexpensive, simple, and convenient solution for large area deposition. The advancement in the nanostructured materials for the development of devices is fully discussed.