Recent advances in photocatalytic self-cleaning performances of TiO₂-based building materials

TiO₂-based photocatalytic building materials can keep the building surface clean, and have decontamination, antibacterial effects and so on, which greatly reduces the maintenance cost and the risk of cleaning work, and these materials have great application potential in pollution and carbon reduction in the future. However, due to the wide band gap of TiO₂, the low utilization of solar energy and the instability of super hydrophilicity have always been the difficulties in the field of photocatalysis. Based on the relevant research of TiO₂-based photocatalytic materials in recent years, this review summarizes the modification strategies that can effectively improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂-based photocatalytic materials. At the same time, the influence of complex environmental factors and substrate properties on the self-cleaning behavior of TiO₂-based building materials was analyzed. This paper aims to provide effective guidance for the future application of TiO₂-based photocatalysts in the construction field, improve people's understanding of photocatalytic building materials (PBM) and photocatalytic self-cleaning characteristics, and provide more possibilities for the extensive application of photocatalysis technology in the construction field, as well as to promote the realization of global carbon neutrality and other strategic goals of pollution and carbon reduction.