{"title":"Defect and interface engineering of NH2-UiO-66 for photocatalytic applications","authors":"Yuan Chang, Lijun Liao, Zhenzi Li, Wei Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100771","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100771","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>NH<sub>2</sub>-UiO-66 has been regarded as a highly promising semiconductor for photocatalytic applications because of its structural robustness, visible-light responsiveness, and tunable porosity. However, the pure NH<sub>2</sub>-UiO-66 suffers from limitations such as rapid charge recombination and insufficient active sites. This review summarizes recent advances in overcoming these drawbacks by defect and interface engineering for NH<sub>2</sub>-UiO-66. Defect engineering, including the introduction of linker deficiencies, metal cluster vacancies, and defect-anchored single atoms, is summarized for its role in modulating electronic structures, narrowing bandgaps, and creating more active sites. Interface engineering is systematically concluded, including the fabrication of composites with metal/non-metal components and the design of Type-II, Z-scheme, and S-scheme heterojunctions, which are crucial for enhancing charge separation efficiency and light absorption. The correlations between these strategic modifications and the significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance are extensively investigated in hydrogen evolution, CO<sub>2</sub> reduction, organic synthesis, and environmental pollutants degradation. Furthermore, the current challenges and future perspectives in the precise control and mechanistic understanding of these engineering strategies are provided, aiming to guide the rational design of high-performance NH<sub>2</sub>-UiO-66-based photocatalytic systems for energy conversion and environmental remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 100771"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148651238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kazuyuki Ishii, Yasuchika Hasegawa, Ken Onda, Junpei Yuasa, Kazuki Nakamura
{"title":"Preface for special issue on cutting-edge researches on luminescent materials","authors":"Kazuyuki Ishii, Yasuchika Hasegawa, Ken Onda, Junpei Yuasa, Kazuki Nakamura","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100759","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100759","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 100759"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148770515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Photocatalytic CO2 reduction with a semiconductor/metal complex hybrid system: Toward visible light and water utilization","authors":"Takeshi Morikawa , Tomiko M. Suzuki , Yuichi Yamaguchi , Akihiko Kudo","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2025.100735","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2025.100735","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photocatalytic artificial photosynthesis mimics its natural counterpart by converting solar energy into chemical energy, producing organic molecules from CO<sub>2</sub> and H<sub>2</sub>O. In particular, photocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction with water as the electron donor offers a clean alternative to fossil-fuel-based processes and considered as a promising strategy toward carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability. For example, the conversion of CO<sub>2</sub> and H<sub>2</sub>O to HCOOH and O<sub>2</sub> is thermodynamically uphill, with a standard Gibbs free-energy change of ΔG° ∼ + 250 kJ mol<sup>−1</sup>. Early related studies mainly examined semiconductors or molecular metal complexes as standalone photocatalysts. More recently, increasing attention has focused on semiconductor/metal complex hybrid systems, which couple the strong water-oxidation activity and robustness of semiconductors with the high CO<sub>2</sub> reduction selectivity of metal complexes. Although particulate photocatalytic systems that use water as both the electron and proton source were once considered difficult to realize, recent studies have demonstrated highly selective C₁-product formation at appreciable rates by suppressing competing H<sub>2</sub> evolution. This minireview highlights recent advances in semiconductor/metal complex hybrid photocatalysts for CO<sub>2</sub> reduction, covering both half-reactions that use sacrificial electron donors and fully uphill overall reactions that use water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 100735"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jing Wang , Wenpeng Li , Yan Yan , Mingkai Liu , Bin Liu , Ohno Teruhisa , Zhenyuan Teng
{"title":"Photo-induced reactive oxygen species for selective oxidation of plastics and biomass","authors":"Jing Wang , Wenpeng Li , Yan Yan , Mingkai Liu , Bin Liu , Ohno Teruhisa , Zhenyuan Teng","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100737","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100737","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photo-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) are central to the selective oxidation of plastics and biomass, enabling efficient activation of inert C–H and C–C bonds under mild conditions—a crucial step toward bond cleavage and targeted functionalization. However, achieving precise control over the type, concentration, and spatial distribution of ROS remains challenging, especially for complex multicomponent substrates, as intermediate pathways depend critically on both ROS species and photocatalyst structure. This review systematically summarizes the formation and transformation mechanisms of radical and non-radical ROS and examines the direct role of photogenerated charges in oxidation. It demonstrates how rational catalyst design—through modulation of semiconductor properties, surface/interface structures, co-catalysts, and reaction conditions—can regulate ROS generation, evolution, and reactivity. Representative examples in plastic and biomass oxidation are discussed to illustrate how ROS and charge carriers drive selective depolymerization, monomer recovery, and functionalization via distinct mechanisms. Finally, this review highlights ongoing challenges in controlling ROS dynamics and elucidating their mechanistic roles, underscoring the need to correlate ROS behavior with reaction selectivity and product distribution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 100737"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multifunctional boron-dipyrromethene platforms for disease diagnosis and therapy: Advances in bioimaging, and phototherapeutics","authors":"Zhen Yang , Yanchao Liu , Zhigang Xie , Min Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100739","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100739","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes have emerged as transformative agents in precision biomedicine due to their exceptional photophysical properties including high molar absorption coefficients, tunable near-infrared (NIR) absorption/emission, superior photostability, and biocompatibility. This review comprehensively explores recent advances in BODIPY-based systems for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. We highlight their roles in <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> bioimaging (e.g., aldehyde detection, cytokine signaling visualization, super-resolution lysosomal tracking) and phototherapy (photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT)). Strategic molecular engineering enhances BODIPY performance, such as heavy-atom-free designs for improved intersystem crossing, J-aggregation for NIR photothermal conversion, and oxygen-independent Type I PDT for hypoxic tumors. Combinatorial approaches integrating PDT/PTT with chemotherapy or immunotherapy further amplify therapeutic efficacy. Despite promising outcomes, challenges in spectral optimization, <em>in vivo</em> targeting specificity, pharmacokinetics, and clinical translation persist. Future directions include low-power NIR-II activatable probes, stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms, and scalable biocompatible formulations. BODIPY-based theranostics hold immense potential to revolutionize precision oncology and antimicrobial therapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 100739"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146185189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ayumi Ishii, Shuhei Matsumura, Mayu Taima, Tasuku Yamanaka, Ryota Komatsuzaki
{"title":"Photon management in lanthanide hybrid materials: Upconversion and quantum cutting for broadband light harvesting","authors":"Ayumi Ishii, Shuhei Matsumura, Mayu Taima, Tasuku Yamanaka, Ryota Komatsuzaki","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100738","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100738","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The near-infrared (NIR) spectral region plays a pivotal role in modern photonics and optoelectronics, yet most conventional semiconductors and molecular materials fail to utilize low-energy photons efficiently. Lanthanide (Ln)-based luminescent systems offer a unique means to overcome this limitation through two complementary photon conversion mechanisms—downconversion (or quantum cutting, QC) and upconversion (UC). In QC processes, a single high-energy photon is converted into two or more lower-energy photons via cooperative energy transfer between neighboring Ln ions (Ln<sup>3</sup><sup>+</sup>), leading to photon multiplication and enhanced light-harvesting efficiency. Recent advances in QC-active materials, including Gd<sup>3+</sup>, Tb<sup>3+</sup>, and Yb<sup>3+</sup>-codoped oxides and fluorides, as well as emerging Ln<sup>3+</sup>-doped perovskite hosts, have demonstrated efficient UV/visible-to-NIR photon conversion, expanding the spectral coverage for photovoltaic and light-emitting device applications. In contrast, UC processes enable the stepwise absorption of multiple NIR photons to generate higher-energy visible or UV emission. To address the intrinsically weak absorption cross-sections of Ln ions, molecularly sensitized hybrid systems have been developed, where organic dyes act as broadband NIR antennae to mediate efficient energy transfer to Ln<sup>3+</sup> centers. Additionally, core-shell and inorganic-passivated nanostructures have been engineered to suppress nonradiative quenching by controlling lattice phonons and surface states. The integration of Ln<sup>3+</sup>-based UC materials with halide perovskites further enables synergistic photon management, allowing sub-bandgap NIR photons to be utilized in solar cells and photodetectors. These developments illustrate a unified strategy for bidirectional photon conversion through QC and UV, paving the way toward next-generation energy-harvesting and photonic devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 100738"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146185188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Photothermal nanomaterials for biomedical therapy and diagnosis: From photothermal conversion mechanisms to clinical translation","authors":"Bowen Shi, Jiao Hua, Chaobo Huang, Ranhua Xiong, Dongyang Miao","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100736","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photothermal conversion is a fundamental yet rapidly evolving energy transformation processes that has consistently attracted significant research interest. Recent advances in photothermal nanomaterials have demonstrated their remarkable potential for biomedical applications. This review summarizes recent advances in photothermal nanomaterials, focusing on fundamental photothermal conversion mechanisms and representative material systems associated with each mechanism. Recent progress in applying photothermal materials for disease therapy and diagnosis is also systematically discussed. In therapy, strategies involving photothermal materials for tumor ablation, antibacterial therapy, and immunotherapy are described in detail. In diagnosis, photothermal properties are leveraged for multimodal bioimaging and highly sensitive detection of disease biomarkers. More recently, integrated strategies for multimodal diagnosis and therapy, along with their translational applications, have emerged as key research focuses. Finally, this review outlines key challenges and future prospects of photothermal nanomaterials in preclinical development. This review aims to advance next-generation photothermal nanomaterials and facilitate clinical translation of precision therapy and diagnosis to meet the growing demand for efficient, safe, and personalized healthcare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 100736"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145950419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Circularly polarized light generated from electron spin, and its depolarization used for cancer detection","authors":"Nozomi Nishizawa","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper reviews state-of-the-art spin-photonic devices, which are among the potential candidates, focusing on the development of circularly polarized light (CPL) devices and CPL applications. Initially, it introduces the differences in approaches between chemistry and physics for CPL emission research. Then, it explains the CPL emission mechanism of spin-polarized light-emitting diodes (Spin-LEDs), which are representative of spin-photonic devices. Subsequently, it discusses the functions of the lateral-type spin-LEDs, which have overcome the major challenge of achieving fully polarized CPL emission at room temperature, as well as helicity controllability and CPL detection. Finally, it introduces various proposed applications of CPL.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 100742"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147420378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Photon upconversion based on triplet–triplet annihilation using thermally activated delayed fluorescence sensitizers","authors":"Masanori Uji, Nobuhiro Yanai","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100741","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2026.100741","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photon upconversion based on triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA-UC) enables the conversion of low-energy photons into higher-energy ones, even under low-intensity, incoherent light. This process has recently gained renewed attention as a route toward efficient light-energy conversion for solar, photocatalytic, and biological technologies. Organic molecules exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) have recently attracted attention as efficient heavy-metal-free sensitizers owing to their strong visible-light absorption, efficient intersystem crossing (ISC), and tunable excited-state energy levels. The use of TADF compounds has expanded the accessible spectral window of TTA-UC, allowing large anti-Stokes shifts such as visible-to-UV and near-infrared (NIR)-to-visible TTA-UC. This review provides an overview of recent advances in TADF-sensitized TTA-UC systems and discusses the critical factors that determine their performance, including ISC dynamics, triplet energy transfer, and material stability. Challenges and prospects for designing efficient molecular architectures to achieve high TTA-UC efficiencies, lower threshold excitation intensities, and broader wavelength coverage are also highlighted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 100741"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147420377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Engineering ZnS quantum dots for photocatalysis: Synthesis, modifications, and multifunctional applications","authors":"Jingjing Zhang , Kezhen Qi , Rosaiah Pitcheri , Chongxiong Duan","doi":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2025.100722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2025.100722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photocatalysis is an advanced technology that efficiently converts solar energy into chemical energy, attracting widespread attention in environmental remediation, energy development, and biomedical applications. ZnS quantum dots (ZnS QDs), as a representative wide-bandgap semiconductor, exhibit unique quantum confinement effects, tunable optoelectronic properties, and a high specific surface area, making them a promising metal sulfide photocatalyst. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in ZnS QD-based photocatalytic systems, with a focus on material design strategies and multifunctional applications. First, the fundamental mechanisms of ZnS QDs in photocatalysis are introduced, followed by a discussion on their synthesis methods. Several strategies for enhancing the photocatalytic activity of ZnS QDs, including surface modification, elemental doping, heterojunction formation, and coupling with carbon or organic materials, are discussed in detail. Furthermore, we comprehensively review the applications of ZnS QDs in the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants, water splitting for H<sub>2</sub> production, CO<sub>2</sub> reduction, N<sub>2</sub> fixation, antimicrobial activity, and organic synthesis, highlighting their breakthroughs in biomedical field, such as near-infrared-activated antimicrobial systems and tumor-specific photodynamic/photothermal therapy. Finally, by analyzing the current challenges of ZnS QDs in photocatalysis, we propose three future research directions to promote their practical applications in sustainable energy, environmental restoration, and precision medicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":376,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 100722"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}