Tailoring the surface and interface structures of photocatalysts to enhance hydrogen production

Photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductor photocatalysts is a promising approach for the production of carbon-neutral, sustainable and clean hydrogen fuel. However, the separation and transport of photoinduced carriers are generally considered to be rate-limiting steps, and their low efficiency remains a major challenge. Therefore, much effort has been devoted to developing new strategies in surface/interface engineering of photocatalysts to improve the dynamics of charge separation/transport. This feature article briefly summarizes recent advances in photocatalyst surface/interface engineering by our research group, which have been achieved through the design of various novel photocatalysts, including interfacial modulation, heterostructure construction, heteroatom doping, single atom and diatom sites. The article is divided into three parts: first, we briefly introduce the three key processes involved in solar water splitting and reveal relationships between the properties of nanostructural photocatalysts and the fundamentals of water splitting; second, we detail methods and strategies for surface and interfacial structures to improve the efficiency of the fundamental processes, especially charge separation; finally, we explore prospects for photocatalytic water splitting applications. This article provides a valuable resource and strategies for researchers currently working in the field of photocatalytic water splitting.