Photocatalytic Oxidation for Volatile Organic Compounds Elimination: From Fundamental Research to Practical Applications

Photocatalysis is regarded as one of the most promising technologies for indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) elimination due to its low cost, safe operation, energy efficiency, and high mineralization efficiency under ambient conditions. However, the practical applications of this technology are limited, despite considerable research efforts in recent decades. Until now, most of the works were carried out in the laboratory and focused on exploring new catalytic materials. Only a few works involved the immobilization of catalysts and the design of reactors for practical applications. Therefore, this review systematically summarizes the research and development on photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of VOCs, with emphasis on recent catalyst's immobilization and reactor designs in detail. First, different types of photocatalytic materials and the mechanisms for PCO of VOCs are briefly discussed. Then, both the catalyst's immobilization techniques and reactor designs are reviewed in detail. Finally, the existing challenges and future perspectives for PCO of VOCs are proposed. This work aims to provide updated information and research inspirations for the commercialization of this technology in the future.