Recent progress in visible light photocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide

Abstract

Conversion of CO₂ to useful chemicals is an attractive technique for CO₂ capture and sequestration. However, it requires a high energy input to break the strong CO bond of CO₂ molecules. Solar energy is a sustainable and green energy without environmental detriment. The utilization of solar energy especially visible light energy (which takes a large portion of solar energy) provides a promising approach to solve the energy issue for CO₂ conversion. This review provides a panorama of the latest progress in visible-light photocatalytic CO₂ conversion, including (1) photocatalytic CO₂ reduction with water, (2) photocatalytic CO₂ hydrogenation, and (3) photocatalytic reforming of CO₂ and CH₄. The catalysts are assessed with emphasis on advanced strategies and superb materials. The current issues associated with visible-light photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ are discussed and suggestions for future developments are provided as an outlook.