Silicon nanostructures for solar-driven catalytic applications

Abstract Silicon nanostructures exhibit prominent properties in solar energy conversion, which particularly offer tunable light harvesting and facile surface modification in comparison with their bulk counterparts. For this reason, silicon nanostructures have been exploited towards solar-driven catalysis, with extensive attention to the related working mechanisms. In this review article, we summarize the recent advances in the solar-driven catalytic applications based on silicon nanostructures. The key parameters to band engineering and surface modification, which hold the key to light harvesting and surface reactions, are specifically outlined for silicon nanostructures. We then overview the synthetic and fabrication methods for silicon nanostructures, which allow tailoring their key parameters. Based on the fundamental mechanisms and experimental methods, we elaborate on the typical applications of silicon nanostructures in solar-driven catalysis, including photocatalytic hydrogen production, dye degradation, organic reactions, CO2 conversion and N2 fixation, and photoelectrochemical water splitting. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for further development of silicon nanostructures for solar-chemical energy conversion are highlighted.