2D and 3D Nanomaterials for Photoelectrocatalytic Removal of Organic Pollutants from Water

Abstract The presence of organics in water poses a serious risk to the environment, as well as to human health. It is important to develop effective water treatment techniques that are affordable, durable, and sustainable. The removal and degradation of organic matter in water is widely explored using 2D and 3D nanomaterials, which are advantageous in providing high surface to volume ratios and favorably photoelectro activity as compared to traditional materials. The robustness of nano semiconductors has made it highly sustainable in water treatment. This review concentrates on nanostructured materials, which are demonstrating the removal of pollutants from water using various 2D and 3D nanostructured materials as photoelectrocatalytic electrodes. The 2D and 3D nanostructured materials are divided into five types according to physical morphology: nanofilms/nanosheets, nanopore structure/nanonetwork, nanoflowers, nanotubes, and other forms. Apart from this, the preparation method, characterization technology, and photoelectrocatalytic efficiency of organic pollutants degradation are reviewed. Finally, the different factors influencing degradation of organic pollutants are discussed.