Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

In Situ Growth of CdZnS Nanoparticles@Ti3C2Tx MXene Nanosheet Heterojunctions for Boosted Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

This paper is not about microplastics; it describes the synthesis and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of CdZnS nanoparticle/MXene nanosheet composite materials under visible light.

2023 Nanomaterials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Metal–Organic Frameworks for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Coupled with Selective Oxidation Reactions

This review examines metal-organic framework (MOF) photocatalysts for hydrogen production coupled with selective organic oxidation reactions, covering design principles, active site engineering, and performance benchmarks. It discusses how MOF structural tunability enables optimisation of both hydrogen evolution and valuable co-product generation.

2025 ChemPhysChem 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Interfaces, and Nanostructure on the Performance of Conjugated Polymer Photocatalysts for Hydrogen Production from Water

This review examines how interfaces and nanostructure influence the performance of conjugated polymer photocatalysts for hydrogen production via water splitting and CO2 reduction, surveying the field since early reports of carbon nitride and organic semiconductor photocatalysts and analyzing structure-property relationships governing efficiency.

2022 Nanomaterials 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Review of Two-Dimensional MXenes (Ti3C2Tx) Materials in Photocatalytic Applications

This review covers Ti3C2Tx MXene-based photocatalysts, summarizing preparation techniques and recent advances in photocatalytic CO2 reduction, nitrogen fixation, hydrogen evolution, and pollutant degradation, finding that MXenes enhance photocatalytic performance by blocking electron-hole recombination.

2023 Processes 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Visible-light photocatalysts: Prospects and challenges

This research update reviews the state of visible-light photocatalysis, discussing material types including metal oxides, organic semiconductors, and composites, their applications for environmental remediation and solar fuel generation, and the major challenge of scaling up photocatalytic processes to industrial viability. The authors identify cost-competitiveness with existing technologies as the primary barrier to practical deployment.

2020 APL Materials 273 citations
Article Tier 2

Fe-dope Nickel Selenide @Tri-Nickel Diselenide heterostructure with efficient and stable water splitting for hydrogen production

Researchers developed an iron-doped nickel selenide catalyst for efficient water splitting to produce hydrogen as clean energy. While focused on renewable energy, developing clean alternatives to fossil fuels is important for reducing the petrochemical production that drives plastic manufacturing and microplastic pollution.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis of g-C3N4@ZnIn2S4 Heterostructures with Extremely High Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Reusability

Researchers synthesized g-C3N4 and ZnIn2S4 heterostructures through thermal annealing and hydrothermal methods, finding that optimized heterostructures produced approximately 228 times higher photocatalytic hydrogen production than pure g-C3N4 under visible light. The high photocatalytic performance and reusability of these heterostructures make them promising for solar-driven hydrogen fuel production.

2023 Catalysts 16 citations
Article Tier 2

MXenes as Emerging Materials: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

This review covers MXenes, a family of two-dimensional materials with unique layered structures that show promise for energy and environmental applications. Researchers examined how MXenes can be synthesized and modified to enhance their properties for uses including photocatalysis, gas sensing, and water treatment. The materials' ability to be tuned through changes in composition and surface chemistry makes them potential candidates for addressing environmental contamination challenges.

2022 Molecules 181 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanocosmos of catalysis: a voyage through synthesis, properties, and enhanced photocatalytic degradation in nickel sulfide nanocomposites

This review covers nickel sulfide nanocomposites used in photocatalysis for water purification, focusing on how modifications like doping and forming hybrid structures improve their ability to break down pollutants. These advanced materials show promise for cleaning contaminated water, which is relevant as microplastics and chemical pollutants increasingly threaten water sources.

2024 Nanoscale Advances 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Advanced perspectives on MXene composite nanomaterials: Types synthetic methods, thermal energy utilization and 3D-printed techniques

Researchers reviewed MXene, a family of ultra-thin 2D nanomaterials, and their composites for applications in heat storage, solar energy conversion, and 3D printing inks, finding photo-to-thermal and electro-to-thermal conversion efficiencies of 80–90%. The review also explores future uses in hydrogen storage, carbon capture, and environmental pollution cleanup.

2022 iScience 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Design Principles for Maximizing Hole Utilization of Semiconductor Quantum Wires toward Efficient Photocatalysis

This paper presented design principles for maximizing hole (positive charge carrier) utilization in semiconductor quantum wire photocatalysts, addressing the rate-limiting step in solar-driven hydrogen production from water splitting.

2023 Angewandte Chemie International Edition 15 citations
Article Tier 2

MXene photocatalysts for microplastics degradation under simulated solar illumination

This review examined MXene-based photocatalysts for degrading microplastics under simulated solar illumination, covering synthesis methods, photocatalytic mechanisms, and performance for polyolefin and other plastic types. MXene composites showed promising degradation efficiency for otherwise difficult-to-degrade polymers under visible light.

2025 Journal of Physics Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

MXene based nanoarchitectures for organic contaminants degradation under sonophotocatalytic environment: eco-friendly synthesis, catalytic attributes and recent advancements

This review covers MXene-based materials, a new class of nanocatalysts that can break down organic pollutants in water using combined sound and light energy. The technology shows promise for degrading contaminants including microplastics without creating secondary pollution. Better water treatment methods like these could help reduce human exposure to microplastics and other harmful substances in drinking water.

2025 RSC Advances 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon-based Composite Materials as Photocatalyst for Photo-Reforming of Organics to Obtain H2

Researchers investigated carbon-based composite photocatalysts — including Nb2O5 and TiO2 combined with graphene or graphene oxide — for photo-reforming of plastics (PET and PLA) and organic compounds into hydrogen under both UV and natural solar light, finding that composite materials produced significantly more hydrogen than bare semiconductors.

2025 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología
Article Tier 2

Promoting water-splitting reaction on TiO2/gCN with Pd/SrO cocatalysts: H2 evolution in the absence of a sacrificial reagent

Researchers investigated a photocatalyst system combining titanium dioxide, graphitic carbon nitride, palladium, and strontium oxide for producing hydrogen fuel through water splitting without requiring a sacrificial chemical reagent. The study demonstrates an eco-friendly approach to clean energy generation. The findings contribute to the development of more sustainable and practical hydrogen production technologies.

2024 Energy Advances 17 citations
Article Tier 2

From photocatalysis to photon–phonon co-driven catalysis for methanol reforming to hydrogen and valuable by-products

This review covers hydrogen production from methanol using light-driven chemical reactions, examining new photocatalytic materials and methods. While not about microplastics directly, the clean energy technologies discussed could help reduce fossil fuel dependence and the plastic production that drives microplastic pollution.

2025 Chemical Society Reviews 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxygen Vacancies Defective La2Ti2O7 Nanosheets Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Hydrogen Evolution under Visible Light Irradiation

Not directly relevant to microplastics — this paper develops oxygen-vacancy-engineered lanthanum titanate nanosheets to enhance photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light, a materials chemistry and clean energy topic.

2023 Molecules 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecularly Engineered Covalent Organic Frameworks for Hydrogen Peroxide Photosynthesis

Researchers developed a bipyridine-based covalent organic framework photocatalyst for producing hydrogen peroxide from water and air, achieving solar-to-chemical conversion efficiencies of 0.57% at 298 K and 1.08% at 333 K, surpassing previously reported values. The work addresses selectivity challenges in the two-electron water oxidation reaction that have limited photocatalytic H2O2 production.

2022 Angewandte Chemie 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Friendly Solar-Powered H2 Generation from Plastic Waste Using Earth-Abundant Cu-Doped ZnS Catalysts

Plastic waste could potentially be converted into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight and a catalyst, offering a way to both reduce plastic pollution and generate renewable energy. This study developed a copper-doped zinc sulfide photocatalyst — made from earth-abundant, non-toxic materials — that can break down plastic waste dissolved in alkaline solution under visible light, producing hydrogen gas at a promising rate. While still at the laboratory stage, solar-powered plastic-to-hydrogen conversion could eventually offer a sustainable alternative to simply landfilling or burning plastic waste.

2025 Nanomaterials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive Insights into Photoreforming of Waste Plastics for Hydrogen Production

This review examines photocatalytic "photoreforming" — a solar-powered process that breaks down waste plastics while simultaneously generating hydrogen fuel and useful chemical byproducts. Recent advances in catalyst design, including semiconductor materials and metal-organic frameworks, are analyzed alongside factors like light intensity and pH that affect hydrogen output. This dual-purpose approach could help address both the global plastic waste crisis and the need for clean energy simultaneously.

2025 Preprints.org 1 citations