Photocatalysis Driven by Near-Infrared Light: Materials Design and Engineering for Environmentally Friendly Photoreactions

Heterogeneous photocatalysis has captured worldwide attention because of its tremendous potential in the field of solar energy conversion to solve energy and environmental issues. Efficient utilization of solar energy is always the target of our pursuit in the areas of photocatalysis. The design of appropriate photocatalysts for wide-range light harvest from ultraviolet to near-infrared regions is a promising way to realize the practical utilization of photocatalysis. To date, the exploration of NIR light-responsive photocatalysis includes sensitization with near-infrared light (NIR) responsive materials such as dye molecules and black phosphorus, the surface plasmon resonance effect, upconversion, and narrow band gap materials as NIR harvesters. This review gives a comprehensive discussion and summary on the latest developments of the design and engineering of NIR-active photocatalysts and the related photocatalytic system for various environmentally friendly photoreactions including environmental remediation, water splitting, CO2 reduction, nitrogen fixation, and selective organic transformations. Finally, the future perspectives and challenges are present at the end in order to give a comprehensive understanding about the present near-infrared-driven photocatalysis and the promising directions for future investigations.