A review of II–VI semiconductor nanoclusters for photocatalytic CO2 conversion: synthesis, characterization, and mechanisms

Abstract

The excessive consumption of fossil fuels has caused a severe energy shortage, and the large amount of CO₂ released during the combustion process has disrupted the carbon balance in nature. Achieving photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to high-value products is of high significance for both the economy and environment. So far, the bottlenecks for photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ include low electron–hole separation efficiency and low CO₂ productivity. II–VI semiconductor nanoclusters, especially magic-size clusters (MSCs), possess special chemical and physical properties such as an adjustable band gap (broadening the spectral response range), short carrier migration distance (favoring charge separation), and high surface-to-volume ratio (providing more active sites for CO₂ adsorption and conversion), making them potent candidates for photocatalysis. This review briefly introduces the research progress in II–VI MSCs. Then, we summarize the recent advances in II–VI MSCs and related composites for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. Finally, the challenges and prospects of MSC-based photoelectron-catalytic systems are also discussed.