Recent progress in perylene diimide supermolecule-based photocatalysts

Abstract

Perylene diimide supramolecular (PDIs) materials are promising candidates for harnessing sunlight to drive photocatalytic processes in environmental remediation and renewable energy production. However, the performance of pristine PDI photocatalysts is unsatisfactory. Consequently, extensive efforts are dedicated to enhancing the performance of this photocatalyst family, with many studies reported on the intrinsic structure regulation and heterojunction construction of PDI materials. This review focuses on recent advancements in these fields, including molecular structure design, enhancing crystallinity, regulating morphology, and constructing various heterojunctions. Additionally, this work highlights recent progress in their application in water splitting, degradation of pollutants, and other photocatalytic reactions. Challenges and future perspectives for exploring advanced PDI-based photocatalysts are thoroughly discussed and summarized.