Recent advances on photo-thermo-catalysis for carbon dioxide methanation

The carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation into methane (CH4, Sabatier reaction) has intrigued much research attention considering the role of CH4 in rendering energy for daily life. Photo-thermo-catalysis (PTC) of CO2 methanation integrates both photochemical and thermochemical contributions to drive CH4 generation effectively and selectively. This review critically surveys recent discoveries in PTC-CO2 methanation. After introducing the basics of CO2 methanation, the mechanisms of PTC-CO2 methanation related to electron transfer (non-thermal effect) and photothermal heating are presented. Next, the factors regarding metals, shapes, metal–support interactions and defects are discussed. Moreover, we highlight the emerging catalysts of PTC-CO2 methanation, including plasmonic and non-plasmonic metals, metal oxide semiconductors, metal-organic frameworks, and metal carbides. This review concludes with current challenges and future perspectives in paving the way toward the industrial application of PTC-CO2 methanation.