This book investigates applicability of various emerging strategies to improve important properties and features of metal oxide materials that can be used further to advance their photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performances. The range of discussed strategies includes introduction of intrinsic and extrinsic deficiencies, fabrication of heterojunction and utilizing of metal nanoparticles in the form of deposited or embedded formations. Each of them is addressed as separate case in order to reach full and comprehensive assessment of their most fundamental principles and basics as well as accessing pivotal advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, additional discussion is dedicated to achieving thorough awareness over methods and experimental protocols that are used to realize them and also probing changes which they induce in electronic and geometrical configurations of metal oxide materials. It is believed that this book might become a valuable addition to extend further current knowledge about photocatalysis and material processing.

Dr. Vitaly Gurylev holds a M.S. in Chemical Engineering by Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering by National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. After graduation in 2016, he spent three years to join several postdoctoral practices in the same institution and then relocated to neighbouring National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center to become a part of Molecular Science Group while continue serving the same position. In 2021 he moved to work in industry and at the same time creating a partial affiliation as a Research Scientist in National Tsing Hua University. His research interest is mainly related to defect engineering and its application to build various nanostructured functional materials with tuneable properties and characteristics that can be used in photocatalytic processing. Currently, he has published 14 papers in SCI journals of high impact index including two reviews and one Featured Article, 11 of which have designated him as a first or corresponding author. Besides, his work has given rise to several prominent contributions to national and international conferences and also invited talks. In additional he also authored a book under imprint of Springer Nature.