Seminar

Abstract

Over the past decade, heterogeneous photocatalysis has evolved into a versatile platform
technology, enabling applications that range from environmental remediation to sustainable
energy conversion. Five main pathways have emerged: (i) air purification, (ii) water treatment,
(iii) hydrogen evolution, (iv) CO₂ photoconversion, and, more recently, (v) photocatalytic
ammonia synthesis. These fields span a broad spectrum of technological maturity, from
established pollutant degradation processes already operating at TRL 9, to early-stage concepts
such as CO₂ photoconversion and ammonia synthesis at TRL 3–4, with hydrogen generation
positioned at intermediate readiness levels. This lecture will provide a critical overview of these
application areas, highlighting recent advances in photocatalyst design and selection strategies,
as well as the engineering of efficient photoreactor systems tailored to each application.
Particular attention will be given to the interplay between fundamental material properties and
practical process integration, emphasizing how innovations at the laboratory scale can be
translated into scalable technologies. By tracing both achievements and remaining challenges,
the talk will outline a roadmap for advancing heterogeneous photocatalysis toward impactful
solutions for energy and environmental sustainability.