What is the role of titanium dioxide in photocatalysis?
Photocatalysis involves the acceleration of a photoreaction in the presence of a catalyst. Titanium dioxide is one of the most studied photocatalysts due to its stability, non-toxicity, and strong oxidizing power. Upon absorption of UV light, TiO2 generates electron-hole pairs that can initiate various redox reactions, making it ideal for environmental cleanup applications like water purification and air purification.