Engineering and Empowering Photocatalysts with Ultrasound: A Dual Strategy for Environmental and Energy Challenges

This talk will highlight recent advances in the use of ultrasound as a powerful strategy for developing enhanced photocatalysts and intensifying photocatalytic processes, targeting critical environmental and energy challenges. Photocatalysis is increasingly recognized as an essential technology for pollutants degradation and sustainable energy solutions. Ultrasound offers unique advantages by precisely controlling photocatalyst synthesis, enabling the tuning of key physicochemical properties, such as particle size, morphology, porosity, and surface interactions. Additionally, the coupling of ultrasound with photocatalysis — known as sonophotocatalysis — results in synergistic benefits, including the enhanced formation of reactive oxygen species, improved catalyst surface cleaning, and accelerated mineralization of pollutants. Special attention will be paid to oxide-based materials, exploring how their morphology and piezoelectric characteristics significantly impact catalytic performance. Ultimately, ultrasound emerges as a versatile and effective tool for creating highly active photocatalytic systems, providing innovative approaches to environmental remediation and renewable energy production.