Enhancing solar-driven photocatalysis: Synergistic integration of biochar, semiconductors, and magnetic materials for degrading organic pollutants

This review investigates the enhancement of solar-driven photocatalysis, an advanced oxidation process, through the synergistic integration of biochar, semiconductors, and magnetic materials. These hybrid composites demonstrate significant improvements in photocatalytic efficiency by enhancing charge separation, extending light absorption into the visible spectrum, and facilitating organic pollutant degradation under solar irradiation. The study highlights the role of biochar in reducing the band gaps of semiconductors and improving adsorption properties, while magnetic materials enable efficient recovery and reuse of photocatalysts. Additionally, this review addresses the critical challenges in scaling up these photocatalytic systems for industrial applications, including maintaining material consistency, optimizing reactor design, and controlling production costs to ensure economic viability. Future research should focus on optimizing synthesis methods, improving material stability, reducing production costs, and maximizing the use of solar energy to enable large-scale, sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment. • Biochar, semiconductors, and magnetic materials enhance solar-driven photocatalysis. • Improved charge separation and pollutant degradation under visible light. • Biochar composites from biomass waste tackle scalability challenges in wastewater treatment. • Novel magnetic biochar system enables efficient catalyst recovery and reuse. • Improved ROS generation and pollutant mineralization mechanisms in photocatalysis.