Solar light photocatalytic CO2 reduction: general considerations and selected bench-mark photocatalysts

The reduction of carbon dioxide to useful chemicals has received a great deal of attention as an alternative to the depletion of fossil resources without altering the atmospheric CO2 balance. As the chemical reduction of CO2 is energetically uphill due to its remarkable thermodynamic stability, this process requires a significant transfer of energy. Achievements in the fields of photocatalysis during the last decade sparked increased interest in the possibility of using sunlight to reduce CO2. In this review we discuss some general features associated with the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 for the production of solar fuels, with considerations to be taken into account of the photocatalyst design, of the limitations arising from the lack of visible light response of titania, of the use of co-catalysts to overcome this shortcoming, together with several strategies that have been applied to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of CO2 reduction. The aim is not to provide an exhaustive review of the area, but to present general aspects to be considered, and then to outline which are currently the most efficient photocatalytic systems.