Powering the next industrial revolution: transitioning from nonrenewable energy to solar fuelsviaCO₂reduction

Abstract

Solar energy has been used for decades for the direct production of electricity in various industries and devices. However, harnessing and storing this energy in the form of chemical bonds has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels.

Metal-free, redox-neutral, and visible light-triggered coupling of CO2 with epoxides to cyclic carbonates at atmospheric pressure

“…6 As an alternative, in the last several decades, solar energy that is abundant, inexhaustible and renewable has been used for the conversion of CO 2 to chemicals using task specific and efficient photocatalytic materials. 7,8 Light irradiation with an artificial source in place of the natural sunlight can be used to activate and drive the CO 2 conversion reactions. In this context, photoreduction of CO 2 to C 1 chemicals such as CO, HCOOH, CH 3 OH and CH 4 has extensively been studied using a range of photocatalytic materials starting from semiconductors to hybrid molecular catalysts.…”

Multifunctional Photoelectroactive Platform for CO2 Reduction toward C2+ Products─Programmable Selectivity with a Bioinspired Polymer Coating

“…1 The recycling of atmospheric CO 2 into useful chemicals and fuels is expected to become a key technology in the energy sector in the near future. 2,3 It urges scientists to conduct intensive research that results in the realization of this technology. The photo/electrochemical reduction of CO 2 (P/EC-R) is acknowledged as one of the most important pending revolutions toward a sustainable lowcarbon energy model.…”

“…12 The realization of this technology depends on the development and design of less-expensive electroactive catalysts with high activity in the PEC-R and suppressed activity in the HER. 3,13 The literature review shows that P/EC-R still seeks emerging photo/electrocatalysts. 3 potentially been mapped and studied to a much greater extent, as they do not suffer from the drawbacks of homogenous catalysts such as high cost, toxicity, and low stability.…”

“…3,13 The literature review shows that P/EC-R still seeks emerging photo/electrocatalysts. 3 potentially been mapped and studied to a much greater extent, as they do not suffer from the drawbacks of homogenous catalysts such as high cost, toxicity, and low stability. 14−16 A variety of semiconductors, metal oxides, and metal chalcogenides such as p-Si, 17 SiC, 17 GaP, 11 CdS, 18−20 TiO 2 , 21 ZnO, 18,22,23 WO 3 , 24 NiO, 25 Ga 2 O 3 , 26 BiVO 4 , 27 Cu 2 O, 28 GeSIn, 29 (Mo−Bi)S x /CdS, 30 MoS 2 /Si, 31 and MoSe 2 /Si 31 have been reported.…”

“…This can be achieved either by switching from fossil fuels to green fuels/vectors or by carbon sequestration, involving both storage and utilization . The recycling of atmospheric CO 2 into useful chemicals and fuels is expected to become a key technology in the energy sector in the near future. , It urges scientists to conduct intensive research that results in the realization of this technology. The photo/electrochemical reduction of CO 2 (P/EC-R) is acknowledged as one of the most important pending revolutions toward a sustainable low-carbon energy model. − The photoelectrochemical approach combines light absorbers and electrocatalysts, which results in simpler fine tuning of the reductive process.…”