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Abstract

Carbon neutrality and net zero emissions are the focal points of the discussion within public and private institutions. In this context, renewables are bound to become the fuel for the next generation of energy, mobility, and urban technologies. Since the start of the energy transition, a few key technologies have risen as promising, sustainable, and scalable alternatives. The use of photocatalysis for hydrogen production is among the technological tools better equipped for the large scale. Its core feature and strength is its simplicity. Photocatalysis uses water as its only substrate, mimicking the process of natural photosynthesis. But unlike its natural counterpart, photosynthesis, this artificial process requires a versatile catalyst and an energy input to initiate the charge transfer and fuel the two half-reactions that will split water into oxygen and hydrogen. To date, no bare material has been described to undergo the efficient chain of activation steps. For that reason, different carbon nitrides and titanium oxides have been selected and presented in this book chapter to showcase the potential of this fast-moving field to enhance hydrogen photoproduction while surpassing semiconductor limitations. Further research is needed to achieve the desired technological transfer and scale-up in terms of synthetic protocols and reactor design. Leveraging artificial intelligence for the rational design of single-atom catalysts may be the key to overcoming the current limitations.