Nano-designed semiconductors for electro- and photoelectro-catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide

Development of novel catalysts with high efficiency for CO2 conversion is of great research interest, because of the climate hazards caused by the gradual increase in CO2 concentration. Among various types of catalysts, semiconductors have been widely used as effective candidates for both electro- and photoelectro-CO2 conversion. Very recently, with the emerging nanotechnology and advanced characterization techniques, tremendous achievements have been made in highly efficient and clean CO2 conversion based on semiconductor catalysts. This review gives a systematic overview of this field, including the rational design of semiconductor catalysts for electro- and photoelectro-chemical CO2 conversion. Recent advances in the development of mechanism understandings on reaction pathways of CO2 and the feasibility for industrial production are discussed. Furthermore, the challenges and future perspectives of electro- and photoelectro-catalytic CO2 conversion are outlined.