Plasmonic Photocatalysis for CO₂ Reduction: Advances, Understanding and Possibilities

Plasmonic photocatalysis for CO₂ reduction is attracting increasing attention due to appealing properties and great potential for real applications. In this review, the fundamentals of plasmonic photocatalysis and the most recent developments regarding its application in driving CO₂ reduction are reported. Firstly, we present the review on the mechanism of plasmonic photocatalytic CO₂ reduction, the energy transfer of plasmon, and the CO₂ reduction process on the catalyst surface. Then, the modulation on the plasmonic nanostructures and also the semiconductor counterpart to regulate CO₂ photoreduction is discussed. Next, the influence of the core-shell structure and the interface between the plasmonic metal and semiconductor on the CO₂ photoreduction performance is also outlined. In addition, the latest progress on the emerging direction regarding the plasmonic photocatalysis for methane dry reforming with CO₂ is especially emphasized. Finally, a summary on the challenges and prospects of this promising field are provided.