Fotocatálisis: Inicio, actualidad y perspectivas a través del TiO₂

This review focuses on the fundamentals of photocatalysis. TiO₂ was used to explain the performance of semiconductor photocatalysts under photoirradiation as well as the factors which determine the photocatalytic reactions. The band scheme was adopted to describe the photoexcitation mechanism of a photocatalyst, and the difference between catalysis and photocatalysis was clarified through the thermodynamics of both processes. Synthesis and modification approaches of TiO₂ were listed. Finally, the application of TiO₂photocatalysis was considered in the environmental remediation area.