A review of TiO2 nanoparticles

Climate change and the consumption of non-renewable resources are considered as the greatest problems facing humankind. Because of this, photocatalysis research has been rapidly expanding. TiO2 nanoparticles have been extensively investigated for photocatalytic applications including the decomposition of organic compounds and production of H2 as a fuel using solar energy. This article reviews the structure and electronic properties of TiO2, compares TiO2 with other common semiconductors used for photocatalytic applications and clarifies the advantages of using TiO2 nanoparticles. TiO2 is considered close to an ideal semiconductor for photocatalysis but possesses certain limitations such as poor absorption of…