Atomic/molecular layer deposition strategies for enhanced CO₂ capture, utilisation and storage materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and dwindling fossil fuels drive concerns about climate change and energy security.
• CO2 transformation offers a dual solution: mitigating pollution and producing valuable chemicals, but faces challenges due to CO2's inertness.
• Developing efficient, selective, and stable catalysts is crucial for effective CO2 utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of atomic layer deposition (ALD) and molecular layer deposition (MLD) in fabricating materials for CO2 transformation.
• To highlight how ALD/MLD-designed materials enhance catalytic performance (activity, selectivity, stability).
• To explore the structure-activity relationships of these materials in various CO2 conversion processes.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing ALD and MLD techniques for precise, atomic-level synthesis of novel metal-based materials.
• Employing strategies like ultrathin modification, overcoating, and area-selective deposition.
• Fabricating materials for electro-, photo-, photoelectro-, and thermal catalytic CO2 reduction, CO2 capture/separation, and electrochemical sensing.

Main Results:

• ALD and MLD enable the synthesis of diverse materials acting as active components, passive layers, or modifiers.
• These engineered materials significantly improve catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability in CO2 transformation.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in electrocatalytic reduction, photocatalytic conversion, CO2 capture, and sensing applications.

Conclusions:

• ALD and MLD are powerful tools for designing advanced materials crucial for efficient CO2 transformation.
• These methods offer precise control over material structure, leading to enhanced catalytic performance.
• Future prospects involve further exploration of ALD/MLD materials to overcome remaining challenges in CO2 utilization.