Advances in recyclable and superior photocatalytic fibers: Material, construction, application and future perspective

Photocatalytic fibers, with their excellent photocatalytic activity, porous structure, outstanding recyclability and deformability, are regarded as one of the most robust and proficient material supplies available for environmental remediation and energy conversion. However, there is few comprehensive reviews on this subject with high photocatalytic activity. To summarize and update these advanced studies, the latest explosive progress on photocatalytic fibers was analyzed, with regard to multifarious fiber substrates, design philosophy and general construction approaches. Upon matched band gap alignment, hierarchical structure, multicomponent coupling and surface hydrophilicity merits, the prominent features of these photocatalytic fibers were highlighted in pollutant removal, photocatalytic sterilization, hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction. Meanwhile, their photocatalytic mechanisms of oxidation and reduction reactions were expounded as well as the radical species. Finally, the key challenges and perspectives for future advances were proposed with the aim of providing new insights for further improvement of photocatalytic fibers for applications through this review.