Disclosed are a Z-type heterojunction composite material of a tungsten oxide nanorod/a titanium carbide quantum dot/an indium sulfide nanosheet, a preparation method therefor and an application thereof. The method includes: preparing a titanium carbide quantum dot by using freeze-thaw and ultrasound methods for multiple times, and then placing a tungsten trioxide nanorod prepared by a hydrothermal method into a titanium carbide quantum dot aqueous solution, stirring same, and then standing same to obtain a tungsten oxide nanorod loading a quantum dot; stirring and uniformly mixing an indium compound and a sulfur compound in an ethylene glycol solvent, and then adding the tungsten oxide nanorod loading the quantum dot, and performing a reflux reaction at constant temperature to obtain the composite material. The titanium carbide quantum dot of the present invention can provide good electron transport channels at different semiconductor interfaces.

A method of synthesizing a doped carbonaceous material includes mixing a carbon precursor material with at least one dopant to form a homogeneous/heterogeneous mixture; and subjecting the mixture to pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere to obtain the doped carbonaceous material. A method of purifying water includes providing an amount of the doped carbonaceous material in the water as a photocatalyst; and illuminating the water containing the doped carbonaceous material with visible light such that under visible light illumination, the doped carbonaceous material generates excitons (electron-hole pairs) and has high electron affinity, which react with oxygen and water adsorbed on its surface forming reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals, singlet oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, that, in turn, decompose pollutants and micropollutants.

A method of synthesizing a doped carbonaceous material includes mixing a carbon precursor material with at least one dopant to form a homogeneous/heterogeneous mixture; and subjecting the mixture to pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere to obtain the doped carbonaceous material. A method of purifying water includes providing an amount of the doped carbonaceous material in the water as a photocatalyst; and illuminating the water containing the doped carbonaceous material with visible light such that under visible light illumination, the doped carbonaceous material generates excitons (electron-hole pairs) and has high electron affinity, which react with oxygen and water adsorbed on its surface forming reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals, singlet oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, that, in turn, decompose pollutants and micropollutants.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to semiconductor nanoparticles, metal-semiconductor hybrid structures, processes for producing semiconductor nanoparticles, processes for producing metal-semiconductor hybrid structures, and processes for producing conversion products. In an aspect is provided a process for producing a metal-semiconductor hybrid structure that includes introducing a first precursor comprising a metal from Group 11-Group 14 to an amine and an anion precursor to form a semiconductor nanoparticle comprising the Group 11-Group 14 metal; introducing a second precursor comprising a metal from Group 7-Group 11 to the semiconductor nanoparticle to form a metal-semiconductor mixture; and introducing the metal-semiconductor mixture to separation conditions to produce the metal-semiconductor hybrid structure. In another aspect is provided a metal-semiconductor hybrid structure that includes a first component comprising a metal from Group 11-Group 14 and an element from Group 15-Group 16; and a second component comprising a metal from Group 7-Group 11.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to semiconductor nanoparticles, metal-semiconductor hybrid structures, processes for producing semiconductor nanoparticles, processes for producing metal-semiconductor hybrid structures, and processes for producing conversion products. In an aspect is provided a process for producing a metal-semiconductor hybrid structure that includes introducing a first precursor comprising a metal from Group 11-Group 14 to an amine and an anion precursor to form a semiconductor nanoparticle comprising the Group 11-Group 14 metal; introducing a second precursor comprising a metal from Group 7-Group 11 to the semiconductor nanoparticle to form a metal-semiconductor mixture; and introducing the metal-semiconductor mixture to separation conditions to produce the metal-semiconductor hybrid structure. In another aspect is provided a metal-semiconductor hybrid structure that includes a first component comprising a metal from Group 11-Group 14 and an element from Group 15-Group 16; and a second component comprising a metal from Group 7-Group 11.

The disclosure relates to a photocatalytic structure. The photocatalytic structure includes a carbon nanotube structure, a photocatalytic active layer coated on the carbon nanotube structure, and a metal layer including a plurality of nanoparticles located on the surface of the photocatalytic active layer. The carbon nanotube structure comprises a plurality of intersected carbon nanotubes and defines a plurality of openings, and the photocatalytic active layer is coated on the surface of the plurality of carbon nanotubes. The metal layer includes a plurality of nanoparticles located on the surface of the photocatalytic active layer.

The disclosure relates to a photocatalytic structure. The photocatalytic structure includes a carbon nanotube structure, a photocatalytic active layer coated on the carbon nanotube structure, and a metal layer including a plurality of nanoparticles located on the surface of the photocatalytic active layer. The carbon nanotube structure comprises a plurality of intersected carbon nanotubes and defines a plurality of openings, and the photocatalytic active layer is coated on the surface of the plurality of carbon nanotubes. The metal layer includes a plurality of nanoparticles located on the surface of the photocatalytic active layer.

Present subject matter provides a semiconductor nanocrystal comprises a core and a shell. The core is fabricated from a first semiconductor. The shell is fabricated from a second semiconductor. The optical cross section of the semiconductor nanocrystal is in a range of 10.sup.−17 cm.sup.2-10.sup.−12 cm.sup.2 in a 2-3 eV region. The core is less than 2 nanometers from an outer surface of the shell in at least one region of the semiconductor nanocrystal. Present subject matter also provides method for preparation of the semiconductor nanocrystals and method for photosynthesis of organic compounds.

The present invention discloses a dual functional photocatalytic device and a process for photocatalytic co-conversion of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O to value added products in direct sunlight. More particularly, the present invention relates to efficient and continuous process for the photocatalytic co-conversion of a mixture of CO.sub.2 and water into methanol, formaldehyde, in the presence of newly developed dual-functional photocatalyst device. The present invention is to provide dual-functional photocatalyst device, along with a co-catalyst and integrating them into a photocatalytic device using artificial leaf approach wherein said device is in the form of thin film working under wide spectrum of solar radiation at ambient conditions. Additionally it is easy to scale up the photocatalyst device size from 1 cm.sup.2 to 10 cm.sup.2 size and process is tuneable to generate desired products.

The present invention discloses a dual functional photocatalytic device and a process for photocatalytic co-conversion of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O to value added products in direct sunlight. More particularly, the present invention relates to efficient and continuous process for the photocatalytic co-conversion of a mixture of CO.sub.2 and water into methanol, formaldehyde, in the presence of newly developed dual-functional photocatalyst device. The present invention is to provide dual-functional photocatalyst device, along with a co-catalyst and integrating them into a photocatalytic device using artificial leaf approach wherein said device is in the form of thin film working under wide spectrum of solar radiation at ambient conditions. Additionally it is easy to scale up the photocatalyst device size from 1 cm.sup.2 to 10 cm.sup.2 size and process is tuneable to generate desired products.