Current progress on persistent fluorescence-assisted composite photocatalysts

Long afterglow phosphors-assisted novel photocatalysts appear to be a series of promising functional materials, which have high utilization efficiency of solar light in practical application of environmental purifications. In this review paper, the recent progress on fluorescence-assisted composite type photocatalysts includes TiO₂-based and Ag₃PO ₄-based fluorescence photocatalyst composites with full-time active photocatalytic properties is reviewed. This fundamental understanding shows that excellent visible light induced photocatalysts coupled with an appropriate amount of long afterglow phosphors could continuously degrade pollutants in air and solution not only under light irradiation, but also after turning off the lamp irradiation for several hours, indicating the possibility of a full-time-active highly efficient photocatalysts system. A promising strategy involving coupling of a highly efficient visible light responsive photocatalyst with an appropriate long afterglow phosphor might be established.