Recent Progress in Materials Exploration for Thermocatalytic, Photocatalytic, and Integrated Photothermocatalytic CO2-to-Fuel Conversion

The excess depletion of carbon-rich fossil fuels and agroforest biomass resources has aggravated the energy crisis and environmental pollution, causing increased CO2 emissions. Accordingly, the goal of peak CO2 emissions and carbon neutrality is proposed to alleviate global warming. CO2-to-fuel conversion is considered as a preferable move for reducing the atmospheric CO2 concentration and further upgrading to chemical feedstocks. However, the highly efficient CO2 conversion remains challenging due to the thermodynamic limits and kinetic barriers, which require high energy input through conventional thermocatalysis. Inspired by artificial photosynthesis, photocatalytic CO2 transformation has received tremendous attention and makes remarkable progress over the past decades, although it is still far from practical application. Recently, the integrated photothermocatalysis has emerged as an intelligent strategy to utilize solar energy to induce local heating and energetic hot carriers, which synergistically promote CO2-to-fuel conversion. The key to the success of CO2 upgradation is catalysts' development with improved activity, selectivity, and stability. This review highlights the recent advancements in materials designing for practical CO2 conversion through thermocatalysis, photocatalysis, and photothermocatalysis during the past five years, emphasizing the reaction pathways and mechanism on the CO bond activation and intermediates formation. Finally, the current challenges and future opportunities are described.

Automated summary

The conversion of carbon dioxide to fuel is an ideal method for reducing atmospheric CO2 concentration, but efficient conversion remains challenging. Photothermocatalysis has emerged as an intelligent strategy in recent years to improve CO2 conversion efficiency using solar energy. This review highlights the recent advancements in materials designing for practical CO2 conversion over the past five years, emphasizing reaction pathways and mechanisms.