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Advances and challenges in developing cocatalysts for photocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to fuels

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Abstract

The global adoption of efficient sustainable energy sources is a crucial step toward meeting energy demands while achieving carbon emission reduction targets. Solar energy has become a clean and cost-competitive alternative to traditional fossil fuels, but the intermittent nature of sunlight results in challenges associated with energy storage and transport. Photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction intends to mimic natural photosynthesis for utilizing sunlight to chemically convert water and CO2 into fuels. In this process, the solar energy is captured and stored in fuels, so-called solar fuels, for widespread on-demand use. Heterogeneous solar fuel production systems are multi-component, comprising light-harvesting (photosensitizer) and catalytic (cocatalyst) units. Cocatalysts are indispensable for photocatalytic CO2 reduction systems, which promote charge carrier separation and transport, reduce the reaction activation energy, and alter the reaction route, thereby enhancing the activity and selectivity of the photocatalytic reactions. This review presents a comprehensive summary of the recent advancements in cocatalysts for photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), with the purpose of providing new insights and guidance to the field with regard to research directions and best practices. We summarize how various cocatalysts including inorganic nanoparticles, metal complexes, enzymes, and bacteria can be combined with semiconductor photosensitizer for light-driven photocatalytic CO2RR. Side-by-side comparisons reveal the strengths and limitations of each kind of cocatalysts and how lessons extracted from studying natural photosynthetic systems can be applied to investigations of artificial photosynthesis, presenting an outlook discussing possible future concepts for a more effective photocatalytic CO2 reduction process.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the JSPS Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers program (to Q. W.), the JST Fusion Oriented REsearch for disruptive Science and Technology program (to Q. W.), and the JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (Start-up) (No. 21K20485, to Q. W.; No. 20K22556, to Z. H. P.).

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  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan

    Qian Wang

  2. Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan

    Qian Wang

  3. Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chuo University, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 112-8551, Japan

    Zhenhua Pan

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  1. Qian Wang
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Correspondence to Qian Wang.

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Wang, Q., Pan, Z. Advances and challenges in developing cocatalysts for photocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to fuels. Nano Res. 15, 10090–10109 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4705-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4705-8

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