Mini review on photocatalysis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and their solar applications

Titanium dioxide is a wide band-gap semiconductor that can be excited to produce electron–hole pairs when irradiated with light. Such photo-induced electron–hole pairs have been utilized to generate electricity in solar cells, to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, to oxidize and degrade inorganic/organic/biological compounds in environments as well as to create superhydrophilicity. The wide solar applications and mechanisms of these photo-induced reactions are briefly reviewed in this mini review. This review would assist the readers to obtain an overview of this exciting and promising field. Titanium dioxide is a wide band-gap semiconductor that can be excited to produce electron–hole pairs when irradiated with light. Such photoinduced electron–hole pairs have been utilized to generate electricity in solar cells, to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, to oxidize and degrade inorganic/organic/biological compounds in environments as well as to create superhydrophilicity. The wide solar applications and mechanisms of these photo-induced reactions are briefly reviewed in this mini review. This review would assist the readers to obtain an overview of this exciting and potentially very promising field. • TiO 2 photocatalysts have been widely applied to generate electricity, produce hydrogen, and decontaminate environmental pollutants. • Up to now most of published reviews only focus on some specific topics in the field. • Here we summarized all information of the photocatalysts, including history, structures, syntheses, and photo-induced applications, and briefly reviewed the whole field of TiO 2 photocatalysts here. • The readers can be familiar with the whole field of TiO 2 photocatalysts in a short time and become experts after read the cited literature.