Oxides and Metal Oxide/Carbon Hybrid Materials for Efficient Photocatalytic Organic Pollutant Removal

Pharmaceuticals are increasingly significant contaminants in the environmental ecosystem, prompting the exploration of photocatalysis as a promising method for removing their pollutants. However, the application of semiconductor metal oxides as photocatalysts has been limited by issues such as rapid photocarrier recombination and high band gap energy. One emerging strategy to enhance the photocatalytic performance of metal oxides involves integrating them with carbon dots, which offer advantages including low toxicity, aqueous stability, increased surface area, cost effectiveness, biocompatibility, and chemical inertness. In this study, we conducted a critical review focusing on the nanocomposite development of metal oxide/carbon dots for the photocatalytic removal of pharmaceutical pollutants. Our study highlights that carbon dots can significantly enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of these metal oxides as photocatalytic materials by improving the adsorption of organic pollutants and enhancing light absorption in the visible spectrum. This review aims to provide insights for future research aimed at advancing the development of enhanced photocatalytic metal oxide/carbon dot nanocomposites.