Techniques in photocatalysis

The importance of photocatalysis can be understood from the central position it holds in the ecology. Plants use photocatalysis to produce carbohydrates and oxygen with sunlight. The three facets of photocatalysis toward providing greener approaches in chemistry are (1) the ability to convert solar energy to easily stored and usable chemical energy, (2) the application of solar energy to drive a crucial chemical transformation, which otherwise may require multistep chemical reactions, and (3) application of solar energy to decompose organic pollutants arising from industries, urban waste, agriculture, among others. This chapter introduces and summarizes the primary photocatalytic techniques in use, the various characterization techniques employed in photocatalysis, and the major applications of photocatalysis in promoting green chemistry endeavors.