Design of metallic cocatalysts in heterostructured nanoparticles for photocatalytic CO2-to-hydrocarbon conversion

The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission is responsible for global climate change. To mitigate global warming, a great deal of research effort has shifted the focus to effectively converting CO2 molecules into hydrocarbons. In this review, we highlight the progress in photocatalytic CO2-to-hydrocarbon conversion, with an emphasis on three strategies: size control, composition control, and facet control of cocatalysts for the enhancement of CO2 reduction activity and selectivity. Recent progress in photocatalyst design is reviewed in the context of the binding energy and activation energy of CO2 and the intermediate species.