Photocatalytic materials and reactors for hydrogen production: A review

Hydrogen energy, noted for its high calorific value and eco-friendly nature, is a key focus of new energy research. However, traditional hydrogen production methods can cause severe environmental pollution, posing a threat to human survival. Therefore, the development of green and renewable hydrogen production technologies is crucial for the sustainable advancement of the hydrogen economy. Photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductor materials provides a cost-effective approach for converting solar energy into clean hydrogen fuel. Although current hydrogen production efficiencies remain below the standards required for large-scale applications, a reported solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of up to 9 ​% opens new avenues for industrial use. This review highlights the potential of photocatalytic water splitting for industrial applications, summarizing recent progress in photocatalytic materials for water splitting, with a focus on high-performance hydrogen-producing materials used in partial and overall water splitting at the laboratory scale, and advancements in photocatalytic reactors for hydrogen production are also examined. This review provides comprehensive insights into enhancements in photocatalytic materials and reactor designs, while also discussing the future challenges with scaling up photocatalytic hydrogen production technologies. • The basic reaction process of photocatalytic water splitting is introduced. • The highest hydrogen production performance of different types of photocatalysts are summarized. • The latest developments in photoreactors of different scales are introduced. • The future development prospects of photocatalytic hydrogen production are discussed.