Advances in photothermal conversion of carbon dioxide to solar fuels

Converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful fuels or chemical feedstocks is important for achieving peak carbon emission and carbon neutrality. Recently, photothermal catalysis has been extensively studied and applied due to its advantages over traditional heat-driven catalysis. In this review, we focus on photothermal catalysis of thermodynamically uphill reactions that convert CO2 into value-added products. We first introduce the fundamentals of photothermal catalysis for CO2 reduction, including the definition and classification of photothermal catalysis, followed by their photothermal conversion processes. The structure design of different types of photothermal catalysts is summarized. The superior performance of photothermal catalytic conversion of CO2 is illustrated and discussed, including improved CO2 activation, tunable selectivity towards different solar fuel products, and resistance to sintering and coking. Finally, the perspectives and challenges in this cutting-edge field are presented with the aim of advancing understanding of the underlying mechanisms and inspiring rational design of photothermal catalysts for highly efficient solar-to-fuel conversion.