Nanomaterials for Natural sunlight-driven photothermal catalysis: from laboratory Innovations to outdoor demonstrations

Abstract

Photothermal catalysis has emerged as a promising approach for sustainable energy conversion and environmental remediation, leveraging the most abundant renewable resource of natural sunlight. However, photothermal catalysis traditionally relies on strong light sources to achieve sufficiently high temperatures, resulting in significant energy waste and increased equipment costs. Therefore, studying natural sunlight-driven photothermal catalysis is crucial for transitioning photothermal catalysis from laboratory innovation to outdoor applications. In this review, we first summarize the works on photothermal nanomaterials that efficiently absorb sunlight and reduce the thermal conductivity of materials to increase the light-irradiated temperature of catalysts. We then summarize the improvements in photothermal catalysis for thermal radiation management and present the latest progress in natural sunlight-driven photothermal catalysis in various reactions. Finally, the outlook on future research directions of natural sunlight-driven photothermal catalysis is discussed. This review examines the light absorption, heat conduction, and thermal radiation of nanomaterials in natural sunlight-driven photothermal catalysis, aiming to provide insights for advancing this technology from the laboratory to real-world applications.