Environmentally Benign Photocatalysts

Over the past few decades, mankind has observed an unprecedented and remarkable growth in industry, resulting in a more prosperous lifestyle for peoples of many countries. In developing countries, however, explosive industrial growth is just now beginning to raise the living standards of the people. Most industries, especially in these developing countries, are still powered by the burning of fossil fuels; con- quently, a lack of clean energy resources has caused environmental pollution on an unprecedented large and global scale. Toxic wastes have been relentlessly released into the air and water leading to serious and devastating environmental and health problems while endangering the planet and life itself with the effects of global warming. To address these urgent environmental issues, new catalytic and photocatalytic processes as well as open-atmospheric systems are presently being developed that can operate at room temperature while being totally clean and ef?cient and thus environmentally harmonious. Essential to technologies harnessing the abundant solar energy that reaches the earth are the highly functional photocatalytic proce- es that can utilize not only UV light, but also visible light.

This book focuses on the various approaches used in the design and development of highly efficient, visible light responsive titanium oxide-based photocatalysts by applying such methods as sol-gel, precipitation, dip-coating, metal ion-implantation, and magnetron sputtering deposition. Titanium oxide-based photocatalysts and related catalysts are especially promising to investigate since they are stable, non-toxic, readily available, and highly efficient photofunctional materials. This book discusses the fundamental characterization studies carried out on the active sites and mechanisms behind photochemical reactions at the molecular level, as well as their potential applications. The book serves not only as a text for research into photochemistry and photocatalysis, but also explores the field of green technologies by experts in academia and industry. This book will appeal to those interested in research on the environmental impact of materials, catalysis, and photocatalysis.