Recent advances in quantum dot catalysts for hydrogen evolution: Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic application

Photocatalytic water splitting is beneficial for the effective mitigation of global energy and environmental crises. Owing to multi-exciton generation, impressive light harvesting, and excellent photochemical properties, the quantum dot (QD)-based catalysts reveal a considerable potential in photocatalytic hydrogen (H-2) production compared with bulk competitors. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in QDs for photocatalytic H-2 production by enumerating different synthetic and characterization strategies for QDs. Various QDs-based photocatalysts are introduced and summarized in categories, and the role of different QDs in varied systems, as well as the mechanism and key factors that enhance the photocatalytic H-2 generation performance, is discussed. Finally, conclusions and future perspectives in the exploration of highly efficient QDs-based photocatalysts for innovative applications are highlighted.