• Journal of the Chinese Ceramic Society
  • Vol. 53, Issue 5, 1298 (2025)
LEI Wanying, DU Yi, YANG Xinxin, TAN Ziqiang..., GAO Zhi, LI Shisheng and ZHANG Xinshu|Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • College of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
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    DOI: 10.14062/j.issn.0454-5648.20250007 Cite this Article
    LEI Wanying, DU Yi, YANG Xinxin, TAN Ziqiang, GAO Zhi, LI Shisheng, ZHANG Xinshu. Mechanism, Materials and Modification Strategies of Photothermal Catalysis[J]. Journal of the Chinese Ceramic Society, 2025, 53(5): 1298 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Photothermal catalysis is an innovative approach that combines typical photocatalysis and traditional thermocatalysis, which possesses all the merits of both processes, such as the efficient catalytic rate of thermocatalysis, the low energy consumption, low pollution and high selectivity of photocatalysis. Meanwhile, photothermal catalysis avoids the problems of single approach like the high temperature of thermocatalytic reaction, a series of side reactions, and deactivation of catalysts. Furthermore, the efficient solar energy utilization rate of photothermal catalysis holds the promise of elevating reaction rates to industrial levels. Due to its exceptional solar energy utilization efficiency, high catalytic reaction rates, mild reaction conditions, and low pollution, photothermal catalysis has been proposed as a promising alternative to traditional photocatalysis and thermal catalysis in the fields of energy conversion and environmental remediation.This review first introduces the mechanism of photothermal catalysis, with a focus on the plasma conversion and non-plasma conversion processes. On the basis of synergistic modes between photocatalysis and thermocatalysis, we categorize photothermal catalysis into three types: photo-assisted thermocatalysis, heat-assisted photocatalysis and photothermal co-catalysis. Subsequently, various types of photothermal materials, including metals, semiconductors, carbon-based materials and metal-organic frameworks are summarized. Thereafter we comprehensively discuss the current effective strategies to improve the photothermal performance, such as improving solar energy absorption through band engineering and morphological manipulation, increasing carrier separation efficiency via heterojunction construction, and enhancing thermal management through heat insulation, suppression of infrared radiation, and thermal energy storage. Lastly, the future research directions and challenges in photothermal catalysis is also discussed.Summary and prospectsPhotothermal catalysis, based on the photothermal conversion to drive the reaction, shows large potentials in various applications like CO2 reduction, organic pollutant degradation, organic synthesis, and hydrogen production via water splitting is the synergy of photochemical and thermochemical effects. This review summarizes the mechanisms of photothermal catalysis, including the direct process by infrared radiation absorption and the indirect process via non-radiative carrier relaxation. Moreover, the indirect way could be further divided into plasma conversion and non-plasma conversion. Based on the contributions of photocatalysis and thermocatalysis, photothermal catalysis is classified into three modes: Photo-assisted thermal catalysis, thermal-assisted photocatalysis, and photothermal co-catalysis. Metals, semiconductors, carbon-based materials and metal-organic frameworks are common photothermal materials. Various modification strategies are developed to promote the catalytic reactivity of photothermal materials, including improving solar energy utilization, accelerating the separation rate of high-energy charge carriers, and strengthening the thermal management. Though photothermal catalysis shows great advantages in comparison with the traditional thermocatalysis and common photocatalysis, it still faces a series of challenges especially in large-scale applications. Several research directions could be considered to the development and application of photothermal catalysis in the future.The development of efficient, cost-effective and robust photothermal materials is the central theme in photothermal catalysis. At present, common photothermal materials focus on metals with LSPR effect, semiconductors and carbon-based materials. Emerging two-dimensional materials such as phosphorene, borene, MXene are capable of harnessing both visible and infrared light and also exhibit high photothermal conversion efficiency. These materials hold great potential as light absorbers in photothermal catalytic systems. Additionally, covalent organic framework materials with large conjugated systems also provide a new avenue for the development of high-efficiency photothermal catalysts.The mechanism of photothermal catalysis need to be further clarified. The understanding of the insight of reaction could guide the construction of photothermal catalytic system. At present, the key research focuses on the synergestic effect between high-energy carriers and photo-derived thermal energy. More details about the exact energy conversions like light to charge carriers or non-radiative relaxation could be figure out. Furthermore, it is pivotal to distinguish the contribution of photocatalysis and thermocatalysis in photothermal catalytic reaction. The rational design of experiments, specific characterizations like in-situ techniques-including in-situ Raman, XPS, AFM, etc. and first principle calculations might provide the possible solutions to discern the catalytic mechanism.To address the limitations of photothermal catalysts, it is highly desirable to explore simple and effective modification strategies to enhance the absorption and conversion of full-spectrum solar energy. Rational structural modulation of photothermal catalysts is essential to ensure efficient separation of the generated high-energy carriers and then apply to the subsequent reaction. Additionally, reducing the heat loss during photothermal catalytic processes is also a critical research priority. This requires balancing the energy utilization and heat dissipation while optimizing reaction pathways to achieve energy-efficient and sustainable catalytic systems.The application of photothermal catalysis still requires further investigation, particularly in CO2 reduction and C-C coupling to generate high-value C2+ products with high selectivity, which are the critical approaches to achieve the carbon neutrality.
    LEI Wanying, DU Yi, YANG Xinxin, TAN Ziqiang, GAO Zhi, LI Shisheng, ZHANG Xinshu. Mechanism, Materials and Modification Strategies of Photothermal Catalysis[J]. Journal of the Chinese Ceramic Society, 2025, 53(5): 1298
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