Recent progress in materials design strategies for efficient CO₂ photocatalytic conversion

The urgent need to combat climate change has driven researchers worldwide to focus on creating effective and sustainable solutions to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Among these approaches, photocatalytic CO₂ conversion has arisen as a viable avenue, harnessing solar energy to convert CO₂ into valuable fuels and chemicals. This article thoroughly overviews the latest advances in novel materials, including metal oxides, carbon-based nanomaterials, semiconductor heterostructures, and molecular catalysts for developing an efficient photocatalytic CO₂ conversion. Key findings from diverse studies elucidating these materials' structure-property relationships, mechanisms, and performance benchmarks are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the review underscores recent breakthroughs, such as innovative nanostructures, surface modifications, and novel catalyst designs, that have significantly contributed to improving the selectivity, stability, and overall efficiency of CO₂ conversion. Understanding and leveraging these advancements in novel materials hold immense potential to pave the way for scalable and sustainable photocatalytic CO₂ reduction technologies, addressing environmental concerns and energy demands.