Photocatalytic, electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide: a review

Abstract

CO2 emission is partly responsible for climate change induced by greenhouse effects. Carbon capture, utilization and storage is a major pathway to reduce CO2 emission. This article reviews conversion of CO2 into value-added products by photocatalytic, electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic processes, which involve a catalyst, a reducing agent, an electrolyte and a reactor. An ideal catalyst should be cheap, abundant, non-toxic, less corrosive and chemically stable. Doping various catalysts can increase product yields up to 207 times. Furthermore, monolith reactors generated 23 times and 14 times higher yields than slurry and cell reactors, respectively. Photoelectrocatalytic conversion standout because it combines the advantages of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic processes such as high product yield and selectivity, no electrical energy required, cost-effectiveness, more catalysts option and no sacrificial donor.