Tuning the Magnetic and Photocatalytic Properties of Wide Bandgap Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Environmental Remediation

Abstract

The review focuses on recent developments towards preparing room temperature ferromagnetic metal oxide semiconductors for better photocatalytic performance. Here we reported the combined study of photocatalytic and ferromagnetic properties at room temperature on metal oxides, particularly TiO2, which is rapidly an emerging field in the development of magnetism and environmental remediation. Even after decades of research in this area, the exact mechanism of the combination of ferromagnetism and photocatalysis in these materials has been not understood completely. However, some of the critical factors were hinted about the contribution to magnetism. Many reports demonstrated that oxygen vacancy and various metal doping plays a primary role in the room temperature ferromagnetism and photocatalysis in wide-band-gap metal oxides. However, it is not easy to understand the direct correlation between magnetism, oxygen vacancies, dopant concentration, and photocatalysis. This review primarily aims to encompass the recent progress of metal oxide for understanding magnetism and photocatalyst under visible light.