Thermally-assisted photocatalytic CO2 reduction to fuels

Abstract

Abstract Using heat or radiation as a single driving force for implementing carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion is usually limited by sluggish kinetics. Whereas the thermally-assisted photocatalysis by coupling utilization of solar energy and thermal energy has therefore provided a promising alternative strategy to boost the conversion of CO2 into high value-added synthetic fuels or chemicals under mild conditions. Herein, we will focus on the state-of-the-art advance in CO2 reduction to fuels by thermally-assisted photocatalysis, with emphases on the thermally-promoted principles, the thermal input patterns as well as the product distributions of CO2 reduction. In addition, some current challenges and perspectives will be discussed. This review not only gives a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of thermally-assisted photocatalytic CO2 reduction, but provides guidelines to other catalytic transformations (e.g. methane oxidation, nitrogen fixation, and organic coupling reactions) by integrating solar and thermal energy to enhance the reaction efficiency.