Emerging Mixed-Anion Semiconductors for Particulate Photocatalytic Water Splitting: Remarkable Structures and Innovative Fabrication Methods

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Photocatalytic water splitting represents a viable strategy for sustainable solar-to-chemical energy conversion through hydrogen production. Particulate photocatalytic systems stand out among various approaches due to their cost efficiency and simpler reactor configurations. Developing improved photocatalysts with extended spectral absorption and long-term operational stability in aqueous media remains crucial for achieving efficient and durable hydrogen generation. Inorganic mixed-anion semiconductors have emerged as promising candidates owing to their intrinsic structural robustness, adjustable bandgap engineering capabilities, and suitable alignment of band edge positions with water redox potentials. Substantial research efforts have yielded various mixed-anion compounds, with selected systems demonstrating significant activity in visible-light-driven overall water splitting (OWS). These developments have facilitated progress toward practical implementations of stable, high-efficiency photocatalytic hydrogen production. This review systematically examines fundamental design principles and recent advances in mixed-anion semiconductor photocatalysts for water splitting. We present a systematic analysis of their distinctive structural configurations, electronic band structures, emerging synthetic methodologies, and surface engineering strategies. Furthermore, we evaluate their OWS performance metrics under standardized testing conditions, aiming to inform rational design of future photocatalytic water splitting systems.