Solar fuels: research and development strategies to accelerate photocatalytic CO2 conversion into hydrocarbon fuels

Abstract

Photocatalytic production of solar fuels from CO₂ is a promising strategy for addressing global environmental problems and securing future energy supplies. Although extensive research has been conducted to date, numerous impediments to realizing efficient, selective, and stable CO₂ reduction have yet to be overcome. This comprehensive review highlights the recent advances in CO₂ photoreduction, including critical challenges such as light-harvesting, charge separation, and the activation of CO₂ molecules. We present promising strategies for enhancing the photocatalytic activities and discuss theoretical insights and equations for quantifying photocatalytic performance, which are expected to afford a fundamental understanding of CO₂ photoreduction. We then provide a thorough overview of both traditional photocatalysts such as metal oxides and state-of-the-art catalysts such as metal–organic frameworks and 2D materials, followed by a discussion of the origin of carbon in CO₂ photoreduction as a means to further understand the reaction mechanism. Finally, we discuss the economic viability of photocatalytic CO₂ reduction before concluding the review with proposed future research directions.