Carbon material-driven photothermal CO2 reduction for catalyzing a circular carbon economy

초록

Photothermal CO2 reduction has attracted increasing attention as a promising and practical strategy to simultaneously mitigate climate change and catalyze a circular carbon economy. Carbon materials, possessing abundant pore structures, broad-spectrum light absorptions, accessible electron transport pathways, and adjustable electronic structures, emerge as particularly attractive catalysts for photothermal CO2 reduction. However, concerted efforts need to reveal photothermal-coupling mechanisms, multifunctional roles, and accurate design principles of carbon materials for catalyzing photothermal CO2 reductions. In this review, photo-generated and thermo-driving forces with their synergistic effects are comprehensively addressed using carbon-based catalysts to establish mechanistic frameworks for photothermal CO2 reduction as well as propose a potential solution for key existing challenges. Multifaceted roles of carbon materials for catalyzing photothermal CO2 reduction are discussed from the perspectives of active, functional, and regulatory phases and also product selectivity. Artificial intelligence (AI)-empowered modification strategies, including heteroatom doping, interface engineering, and morphological/structural design, are critically reviewed to elucidate their contributions for constructing efficient photothermal CO2 reduction systems. Moreover, considering both environmental and economic benefits, both life-cycle and techno-economic assessments (LCA & TEA) are performed for comprehensively evaluating the commercial feasibility of carbon-based photothermal CO2 reduction, shedding valuable lights on both academic and governmental communities. Finally, future prospects of carbon material-driven photothermal CO2 reduction reactions are proposed to solve main challenges and accelerate related commercial deployments, which are beneficial to mitigating climate change and catalyzing a circular carbon economy.

키워드