Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2026, Vol. 87: 1-21.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(26)65084-X

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Atomic vacancies accelerating photochemical solar fuel and value-added chemical production: From materials to mechanism

Yang Dinga,*(), Zhixue Lia, Shuzeng Zhanga, Guoxiang Yangb,*(), Runtian Zhengc, Chunhua Wangd,*()   

  1. a College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
    b School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
    c Laboratory of Inorganic Materials Chemistry (CMI), University of Namur, Namur B-5000, Belgium
    d Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Canada
  • Received:2025-11-20 Accepted:2025-12-19 Online:2026-08-18 Published:2026-06-24
  • About author:Yang Ding is currently an associate professor at College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China. He received his Ph.D. degree from the Laboratory of Inorganic Materials Chemistry (CMI), University of Namur, Belgium, in 2022 under the supervision of Prof. Bao-Lian Su. His research interest includes but is not limited to photocatalysis, porous material design, sustainable energy evolution and luminescent materials.
    Guoxiang Yang is currently an associate professor at School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University. He received his Ph.D. degree in Engineering from Osaka University (Japan), under the guidance of Prof. Hiromi Yamashita in September 2021. His main research areas include photocatalysis, water pollution control, environmental functional materials, CO2 resource conversion, etc.
    Chunhua Wang received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from KU Leuven (Belgium) in 2022, where he studied environmental chemistry and sustainable chemical conversion under the supervision of Prof. Johan Hofkens. After postdoctoral stays at the City University of Hong Kong and at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (United States), where he worked on carbon neutrality and clean fuel generation, he joined the University of Calgary (Canada) as a research fellow, focusing on solar-driven chemical conversion and sustainable energy materials.
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(22402044);National Natural Science Foundation of China(22406169);Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(LQ24E020011);Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(LQ24B070001);Zhejiang Education Department of China(Y202352478);Basic Research Expenses of Zhejiang Gongshang University(QRK23025)

Abstract:

Atomic vacancies in semiconductor materials are usually considered detrimental due to their role in trapping photogenerated carriers, leading to attenuated crystallinity and poor photoelectric conversion efficiency. However, the deliberate and controlled introduction of atomic vacancies within an optimal ratio range in semiconductor photocatalysts can significantly improve their catalytic efficiency. Specifically, vacancy sites can optimize the electronic configuration, promote charge carrier separation, activate reactant molecules, lower activation energies, and improve visible light harvesting, thereby enhancing photocatalytic performance. In this review, we systematically highlight the multiplicity of vacancies in semiconductor materials and examine their innovative role in driving photochemical solar fuel and high-value chemical production. An in-depth discussion of the underlying photoreaction mechanisms associated with the vacancy-mediated process is firstly elaborated, followed by introducing the advanced characterizations employed to uncover the merits of vacancies as well as currently developed strategies for vacancy-engineering in photocatalysts. Next, the current advances in utilizing vacancy contained photocatalysts for photochemical solar fuel and value-added chemical production are discussed and appraised, putting emphasis on their applications in water splitting, CO2 conversion, H2O2 generation, and N2 fixation. With the opportunities and challenges in this field, we concluded by presenting an outlook on the further prospects and key issues for the practical application of vacancy contained semiconductor materials. We sincerely hope that this review can spur new concepts to advance industrial-scale solar fuel and value-added chemical generation using vacancy-engineered semiconductor photocatalysts.

Key words: Semiconductor materials, Atom vacancies, Carriers separation, Solar fuel evolution, Photochemical reaction