Progress in organic photocatalysts

Organic materials have advantages of diversity, ease of functionality, self-assembly, etc. The varied mechanistic pathways also make it conceivable to design an appropriate photocatalyst for an identical reaction. From this perspective, organic photocatalysts find wide applications in homogeneous, heterogeneous photocatalysis and photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cells. In this review, the form of the employed organic photocatalysts ranging from molecules, supported molecules, to nanostructures or thin-film aggregates will be firstly discussed. Rational design strategies relating to each form are also provided, aiming to enhance the photoenergy conversion efficiency. Finally, the ongoing directions for future improvement of organic materials in high-quality optoelectronic devices are also proposed.