Recent advances in brookite phase TiO2-based photocatalysts toward CO2 reduction

Photocatalytic CO2 into high value-added hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals by utilizing solar energy has great potential to alleviate energy shortage and environmental issue we are currently facing. Brookite phase TiO2 has attracted extensive attention due to its non-toxicity and stable physichemical properties, but the pursuing of efficient photocatalysts which possess superior activity and selectivity in CO2 reduction reactions remains challenging. In this regard, considerable efforts have been paid on solar energy harvesting, charge separation, and the CO2 adsorption/activation/reduction upon engineered brookite TiO2. In this review, recent advances of rational design of highly-active and selective catalysts toward photocatalytic CO2 conversion has been summarized. Firstly, the commonly-used fabrication approaches of brookite TiO2 are briefly introduced. On this basis, the engineering strategies as well as the mechanisms to promote CO2 photoreduction, including crystal facets regulation, heteroatomic doping, cocatalyst loading, heterophase and heterojunction construction, are subsequently presented. Finally, challenges and perspectives concerning the enhancement of photocatalytic CO2 reduction upon brookite TiO2-based photocatalysts by tackling with poor visible light absorption, slow interfacial charge separation, and insufficient surface catalytic dynamics are demonstrated.