Surface Localization of Defects in Black TiO2: Enhancing Photoactivity or Reactivity

In the past several years, surface-disordered TiO2, which is referred to as black TiO2 and can absorb both visible and near-infrared solar light, has triggered an explosion of interest for many important applications. Despite the excellent optical and electrical features of black TiO2 for various photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photochemical reactions, the current understanding of the photocatalytic mechanism is unsatisfactory and incomplete. On the basis of previous studies, we present new insight into the surface localization of defects and perspectives on the liquid/solid interface. The future prospects for understanding black TiO2 from this perspective suggest that defect engineering at the liquid/solid interface is a potential method of guiding nanomaterial design.