Carbon Materials-driven Photothermal CO2 Reduction for Catalyzing Circular Carbon Economy

Abstract

Photothermal CO₂ reduction has attracted increasing attention as a promising and practical strategy to simultaneously mitigate climate change and catalyze circular carbon economy. Carbon materials, possessing abundant pore structures, broad-spectrum light absorption, accessible electron transport pathways, and adjustable electronic structures, emerge as particularly attractive catalysts for photothermal CO₂ reduction. However, concerted efforts need to reveal photothermal-coupling mechanisms, multifunctional roles, and accurate design principles of carbon materials for catalyzing photothermal CO₂ reductions. In this review, photo-generated and thermo-driving forces with their synergistic effects are comprehensively addressed using carbon-based catalysts to establish mechanistic frameworks for photothermal CO₂ reduction as well as propose potential solution for key existing challenges. Multifaceted roles of carbon materials for catalyzing photothermal CO₂ reduction are discussed from the perspectives of active, functional, and regulatory phases and also product selectivity. Artificial intelligence (AI)-empowered modification strategies, including heteroatom doping, interface engineering, and morphological/structural design, are critically reviewed to elucidate their contributions for constructing efficient photothermal CO₂ reduction systems. Moreover, considering both environmental and economic benefits, both life-cycle and techno-economic assessments (LCA & TEA) are performed for comprehensively evaluating commercial feasibility of carbon-based photothermal CO₂ reduction, shedding valuable lights to both academic and governmental communities. Finally, the future prospects of carbon materials-driven photothermal CO₂ reductions are proposed to solve main challenges and accelerate related commercial deployments, which are beneficial to mitigating climate change and catalyzing circular carbon economy.