Advancements in Carbon Xerogel–Metal Oxide Hybrid Photocatalysts for Degradation of Organic Pollutants

ABSTRACT The elimination of organic pollutants from wastewater continues to be a significant environmental issue that necessitates the development of innovative, eco‐friendly treatment technology. Carbon xerogel (CX)‐supported metal oxide photocatalysts have recently been highlighted as promising materials due to their unique electrical and structural properties. High surface area, tunable porosity, and high electrical conductivity are properties of CXs that facilitate uniform dispersion of the metal oxides, light harvesting, and faster charge‐carrier transport. Synthesis protocols like sol–gel polymerization, polycondensation, and calcination have been utilized for CX and CX–metal oxide composites to control their morphology, surface chemistry, and electronic structure with high accuracy. Formation of heterojunctions in such hybrids optimized the photocatalytic activity by promoting charge separation and reactive oxygen species generation. Applications and recent developments in phenolic pollutant degradation, organic dyes, and antibiotics breakdown demonstrated the exceptional efficiency of these composites over pristine materials. The last part critically analyzes current limitations, such as scalability, cost, and stability, and identifies future opportunities for multifunctional hybrid design and industrialization.