Activity and selectivity of CO₂ photoreduction on catalytic materials

Photoreduction of molecular CO₂ by solar light into added-value fuels or chemical feedstocks is an appealing strategy to simultaneously overcome environmental problems and energy challenges. However, multiple reaction steps and a large number of possible products have significantly hindered the development of highly selective catalysts capable of delivering CO₂ conversion with high efficiency. Recently, several strategies associated with different conversion mechanisms have been proposed to improve the activity and product selectivity of CO₂ photocatalysts. These are based on development of low dimensional nanomaterials, defect or facet engineering, design of tailored heterostructures, and carrier conductivity enhancement. In spite of impressive progress in the field, real-world applications are yet to be delivered. To sustain further research in this promising field, here we provide a short frontier of recent advances in activity and selectivity of CO₂ reduction photocatalysts, together with a critical discussion of further avenues of research in this field.