Recent advances in heterogeneous catalysis of solar-driven carbon dioxide conversion

Abstract

Solar-driven carbon dioxide (CO₂) conversion including photocatalytic (PC), photoelectrochemical (PEC), photovoltaic plus electrochemical (PV/EC) systems, offers a renewable and scalable way to produce fuels and high-value chemicals for environment and energy sustainability. This review summarizes the basic fundament and the recent advances in the field of solar-driven CO₂ conversion. Expanding the visible-light absorption is an important strategy to improve solar energy conversion efficiency. The separation and migration of photogenerated charges carriers to surface sites and the surface catalytic processes also determine the photocatalytic performance. Surface engineering including co-catalyst loading, defect engineering, morphology control, surface modification, surface phase junction, and Z-scheme photocatalytic system construction, have become fundamental strategies to obtain high-efficiency photocatalysts. Similar to photocatalysis, these strategies have been applied to improve the conversion efficiency and Faradaic efficiency of typical PEC systems. In PV/EC systems, the electrode surface structure and morphology, electrolyte effects, and mass transport conditions affect the activity and selectivity of electrochemical CO₂ reduction. Finally, the challenges and prospects are addressed for the development of solar-driven CO₂ conversion system with high energy conversion efficiency, high product selectivity and stability.

Keywords: Photocatalytic system; Photoelectrochemical system; Photovoltaic plus electrochemical system; Solar-driven CO(2) reduction; Surface/interface engineering.