Lignocellulose-modified bismuth-based semiconductors for photocatalysis: Strategies and applications

Lignocellulose, a naturally abundant and renewable biopolymer, has recently gained significant attention as a sustainable platform for engineering advanced semiconductor photocatalysts. This comprehensive review analyzes two innovative modification approaches for bismuth-based semiconductors by lignocellulose (mainly including cellulose, lignin and holistic lignocellulose): (i) lignocellulose serves as both a structural scaffold and a multifunctional modifier, imparting favorable characteristics to semiconductors such as benign hydrophilicity, high dispersion, facile recovery, and controllable morphological changes, and (ii) when carbonized, lignocellulose derivatives enhance semiconductor functionality by significantly improving light absorption and facilitating efficient charge carrier transport. These two modification strategies fully leverage the multiscale synergy of lignocellulose to enhance the photocatalytic performance of bismuth-based semiconductors. Future research should continually unlock the potential of lignocellulose for sustainable energy and environmental remediation.