Plasmonic Photocatalysts Enhancing Vis-NIR Light Absorption and Hot Charge Carriers for Degradation of Environmental Pollutants

Turning solar energy into chemical resources by photocatalysts is severely retarded by low efficiency. But, plasmonic photocatalysts, as a kind of photocatalysts, have shown some promising practical applications from the points of view of improving visible-Near Infrared (Vis-NIR) light absorption and charge separation. Especially, important progresses on plasmon enhancement mechanism, such as NIR light absorption, hot charge carriers’ utilization, quantifying the role of plasmon, have been made. In this review, those plasmonic photocatalysts achieving near-IR light absorption, being identified to generate hot charge carriers and being applied to emerging new reactions, are concentrated. The most recent applications, particularly for medical drugs waste, microplastics, and microbiological inactivation, are outlined. The challenges and future trends of plasmonic photocatalysts are concluded in the end.