Research Progress on CO2 Photocatalytic Reduction with Full Solar Spectral Responses

Photoreduction of CO2 can effectively alleviate the troublesome global energy crisis and environmental problems by converting CO2 into hydrocarbons. Due to the discovery of photocatalysts that can respond to infrared light, the application of full spectrum in photocatalysis has attracted many researchers. This review comprehensively summarizes the progress in CO2 photocatalytic reduction based on full-spectrum photocatalytic systems, and the basic theory of photoresponse, the mechanism of photocatalysis and photoreduction of CO2, and the representative photocatalytic materials working under ultraviolet, visible, and infrared irradiation are discussed. The strategies and related mechanisms of realizing full-spectrum photocatalysis are introduced, and the contribution of photoreactors to CO2 photocatalytic reduction is also mentioned. Finally, the application prospects of light-driven reactions in CO2 reduction are prospected. It is hoped that this review can offer clearer guidance for CO2 reduction and construction of full spectrum-driven photocatalyst for efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction in the future.