What is it about?
It is about conversion of CO2 into valuable fuels
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Why is it important?
The increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is one of the most pressing issues of the modern world, as it is caused by the use of fossil fuels and emissions from industries. This escalation contributes to global warming, intensifies extreme weather patterns, and accelerates environmental degradation. It is essential to explore solutions that extend beyond mere CO2 capture, focusing also on its valorization to address these urgent issues effectively. The conversion of CO2 to produce useful fuels and chemicals, by electrochemical, photochemical, or photoelectrochemical reduction, is among the most promising methods. These methods have substantial potential to establish a circular carbon economy by making hydrocarbons, formates, syngas, and multi-carbon products in relatively moderate reaction conditions. Despite much progress in this specific field, efficiency, selectivity, stability, and scalability limits still constrain progress to practical utility. In response to this knowledge gap, the current article provides a broad overview and a combined consideration of the role of metal and metal oxide-based catalysts in the three synergistic reduction strategies using electrochemical, photochemical, and photoelectrochemical methods.
Perspectives
It presents a comprehensive framework that integrates techniques; electrochemical, photochemical, and photoelectrochemical. Traditionally, these approaches are discussed in isolation from each other, thus preventing cross-disciplinary contacts. Capturing similarities and interrelations, this article shows information learnt in one field can easily be transferred to another. As an example, it demonstrates how defect creation in oxide-derived catalysts can not only induce better CO2 activation in electrochemical half-cells, but also lead to better product selectivity in photo- and photoelectrochemical cell systems due to better charge separation. Similarly, morphological manipulation tactics, i.e., synthesis of zero-dimensional quantum dots or three-dimensional ordered macroporous structures, apply to all three routes. By combining the two perspectives, it is indispensable to researchers wishing to develop next-generation catalytic systems to meet environmental and industrial needs.
Dr Afzal Shah
Quaid-i-Azam University, Iislamabad
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Perspectives and challenges of electrochemical, photochemical, and photoelectrochemical conversion of CO
2
into valuable fuels using metal and metal oxide-based catalysts, Catalysis Science & Technology, January 2026, Royal Society of Chemistry,
DOI: 10.1039/d5cy01193k.
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