Research progress on zinc oxide-based heterojunction photocatalysts

At present, the crisis of declining energy resources and environmental pollution has become a major global challenge. In this case, photocatalysis is a very efficient technology for the production of renewable energy and the degradation of pollutants. Among the various photocatalysts, zinc oxide-based photocatalysts have emerged as some of the most promising photocatalysts due to their stability and environmentally friendly nature, and they have a wide range of applications in pollutant degradation, photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production, CO2 reduction, etc. Although a lot of research has been conducted to enhance the performance of photocatalysts, there is still a large gap in the exploration of heterojunctions and their effects on photocatalytic efficiency. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap via in-depth analysis of the influence of different heterojunction structures in zinc oxide-based photocatalysts on various applications. Additionally, other effective strategies to improve their photocatalytic performance are summarized, providing important insights for promoting the development of photocatalytic efficiency. This article reviews the different applications of ZnO-based heterojunction photocatalysts and discusses the strategies for improving their photocatalytic performance.