Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution from Water Splitting Using Semiconductors: Advance, Challenge and Prospects

Achieving energy conversion from solar to clean hydrogen through water splitting reaction photo-catalyzed by a semiconductor is one of the ultimate ways to solve mankind's energy and environmental crisis. The key to this goal is the development of a wide spectral responsive, and efficient photocatalyst. To date, engineering band gap and crystal facet, constructing semiconductor heterostructures and loading cocatalysts were adopted to expand absorbance range and improve photocatalytic avtivity of semiconductors. In this paper, we have introduced the basic principles and reviewed the research advances of photocatalytic water splitting. The paper is focused on the challenges and bottlenecks in improving the photocatalytic activity of semiconductors, and some coping strategies are also proposed based on relative group's research.