Colloidal semiconductors as photocatalysts for solar energy conversion

Considerable attention has been drawn in recent years to develop ultrafine semiconductor particles which exhibit excellent photocatalytic properties. Size quantization effects, nonlinear optical properties and enhanced photoredox properties make quantized colloidal semiconductors potentially useful in the design of photoelectrochemical systems. Photochemical and photophysical processes that directly influence the photocatalytic properties of the semiconductor colloids and the factors that limit the charge transfer at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface are discussed here. Applications of semiconductor particulate systems in the conversion and storage of solar energy are also described.