Chinese researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a scandium (Sc)-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) semiconductor in the rutile crystal phase for photocatalytic water splitting, a clean energy technology that produces green hydrogen. The new material achieved an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 30.3% and a solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency of 0.34%, both setting new records for TiO2-based water splitting. Led by Professor Gang Liu, the research team addressed TiO2 limitations by doping with Sc3+ to eliminate defects and creating facet junctions to enhance charge separation, mimicking p-n junctions in photovoltaic cells. This dual approach minimizes charge recombination and promotes more efficient overall water splitting. The material's high efficiency and alignment with China's resource strengths and industrial infrastructure suggest considerable commercial potential for scalable and affordable hydrogen production. The research, funded by various Chinese scientific programs, aims to further enhance light absorption capabilities and integrate the material into solar-powered systems for practical applications.