Advances in Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction with Water: A Review

• Main Authors: Samsun Nahar, M. F. M. Zain, Abdul Amir H. Kadhum, Hassimi Abu Hasan, Md. Riad Hasan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-06-01
• Series: Materials
• Subjects: photocatalysis; CO2 reduction; visible light irradiation; plasmonic photocatalyst; surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/10/6/629

In recent years, the increasing level of CO2 in the atmosphere has not only contributed to global warming but has also triggered considerable interest in photocatalytic reduction of CO2. The reduction of CO2 with H2O using sunlight is an innovative way to solve the current growing environmental challenges. This paper reviews the basic principles of photocatalysis and photocatalytic CO2 reduction, discusses the measures of the photocatalytic efficiency and summarizes current advances in the exploration of this technology using different types of semiconductor photocatalysts, such as TiO2 and modified TiO2, layered-perovskite Ag/ALa4Ti4O15 (A = Ca, Ba, Sr), ferroelectric LiNbO3, and plasmonic photocatalysts. Visible light harvesting, novel plasmonic photocatalysts offer potential solutions for some of the main drawbacks in this reduction process. Effective plasmonic photocatalysts that have shown reduction activities towards CO2 with H2O are highlighted here. Although this technology is still at an embryonic stage, further studies with standard theoretical and comprehensive format are suggested to develop photocatalysts with high production rates and selectivity. Based on the collected results, the immense prospects and opportunities that exist in this technique are also reviewed here.