Building heterogeneous nanostructures for photocatalytic ammonia decomposition

Ammonia is an important chemical for human beings that is used in the synthesis of chemical fertilizers and products; meanwhile, it is also a hazardous compound which causes undesirable odors, several diseases, and environmental problems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to control and remove ammonia pollutants from water, air and soil. Hence, clean processes using photocatalysis to convert ammonia into H(2) and N(2) have been an important research topic in recent years. To date, only some metal-loaded common photocatalysts, such as TiO(2), ZnO, C(3)N(4), graphene and other carbon-based materials together with their hybrid materials, have been reported as active photocatalysts for the decomposition of aqueous ammonia solutions. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in heterogeneous nanostructures for photocatalytic ammonia decomposition. Particular emphasis is also given to metal-loading along with the resulting heterojunctions. Furthermore, the recent efforts toward the development of heterogeneous nanostructures for photocatalytic ammonia decomposition in this direction are discussed and appraised. Finally, perspectives and future opportunities regarding the challenges and future directions in the area of heterogeneous photocatalysts for ammonia decomposition are also provided.