Photocatalytic Activity of Supported Metal Nanoparticles and Single Atoms

Photocatalysis has been known as one of the promising technologies due to its eco-friendly nature. However, the potential application of many photocatalysts is limited owing to their large bandgaps and inefficient use of the solar spectrum. One strategy to overcome this problem is to combine the advantages of heteroatom-containing supports with active metal centers to accurately adjust the structural parameters. Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and single atom catalysts (SACs) are excellent candidates due to their distinctive coordination environment which enhances photocatalytic activity. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) have shown great potential as catalyst support for SACs and MNPs. The numerous combinations of organic linkers with various heteroatoms and metal ions provide unique structural characteristics to achieve advanced materials. This review describes the recent advancement of the modified MOFs, COFs and g-C₃N₄ with SACs and NPs for enhanced photocatalytic applications with emphasis on environmental remediation.