From sunlight to sustainability: The properties, evolution, and prospects of photocatalytic building materials

This study explores the essential characteristics and mechanisms of photocatalytic building materials (PBMs), highlighting their crucial role in promoting sustainable construction practices. It examines how PBMs drive progress in green building technologies, significantly contributing to environmental preservation within urban infrastructure. The analysis encompasses the development, properties, practical applications, and potential advantages of PBMs, demonstrating their impact on advancing the sustainability and functionality of modern architecture. The implications of synthesis approaches used to develop photocatalytic (PC) materials in creating self-cleaning surfaces (such as windows and facades), integrating them with cementitious materials, developing antimicrobial technologies, and improving air purification through photocatalysis are given special attention. Additionally, it underscores semiconductor materials' broad appeal and multidisciplinary importance, emphasizing their potential applications across various industries. The review critically analyzes the existing challenges in the field and proposes future research avenues to overcome them. Collectively, this review seeks to drive innovation and enhance the environmental performance of PBMs in the built environment by tackling current obstacles and outlining potential research directions.