Recently, Professor Lan Kun’s research group, from the team of Academician Zhao Dongyuan at the Institute of Energy and Materials Chemistry of our university, published their latest research results in the international journals Advanced Energy Materials and ACS Central Science, with Inner Mongolia University as the first-affiliated institution. The work was strongly supported by the National Key R&D Program, the National Natural Science Foundation (Youth and General Programs), the Inner Mongolia University “Junma Program,” the Inner Mongolia Outstanding Youth Fund, the Grassland Talent Program, and the Inner Mongolia Youth Science and Technology Talent Development Project.
Paper link: doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202502405

With the global increase in energy demand and intensifying environmental issues, photocatalysis has become a research hotspot due to its clean and sustainable features. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a classic semiconductor photocatalyst, offers advantages such as low cost, good biocompatibility, and structural stability. However, its wide bandgap limits its efficiency in utilizing visible light. In recent years, the advancement of nanostructure engineering has brought mesoporous TiO₂ materials—with tunable pore structures, high specific surface areas, and excellent mass transport properties—to the forefront of photocatalysis research.

To date, extensive studies have focused on TiO₂ photocatalytic materials, but there has been a lack of systematic reviews specifically on the design and recent progress of mesoporous TiO₂ photocatalysts. In response, Professor Lan Kun’s team conducted an in-depth analysis of the development history of mesoporous TiO₂ materials, summarizing the research progress and paradigm shifts in their photocatalytic applications.