Solar‐Driven Continuous CO2 Reduction to CO and CH4 using Heterogeneous Photothermal Catalysts: Recent Progress and Remaining Challenges

• Published in: ChemSusChem 2024-02, Vol.17 (4), p.e202301405-n/a
• Main Authors: Schuurmans, Jasper H. A., Masson, Tom M., Zondag, Stefan D. A., Buskens, Pascal, Noël, Timothy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: carbon capture and utilization; Carbon dioxide; Carbon sequestration; Catalysts; Chemical engineering; Continuous production; continuous-flow reactors; Light sources; Methane; optics; photothermal catalysis; Photothermal conversion; Sunlight; Synthetic fuels; system design; Temperature effects
• ISSN: 1864-5631; 1864-564X
• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301405

The urgent need to reduce the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere and keep the effects of climate change manageable has brought the concept of carbon capture and utilization to the forefront of scientific research. Amongst the promising pathways for this conversion, sunlight‐powered photothermal processes, synergistically using both thermal and non‐thermal effects of light, have gained significant attention. Research in this field focuses both on the development of catalysts and continuous‐flow photoreactors, which offer significant advantages over batch reactors, particularly for scale‐up. Here, we focus on sunlight‐driven photothermal conversion of CO2 to chemical feedstock CO and CH4 as synthetic fuel. This review provides an overview of the recent progress in the development of photothermal catalysts and continuous‐flow photoreactors and outlines the remaining challenges in these areas. Furthermore, it provides insight in additional components required to complete photothermal reaction systems for continuous production (e. g., solar concentrators, sensors and artificial light sources). In addition, our review emphasizes the necessity of integrated collaboration between different research areas, like chemistry, material science, chemical engineering, and optics, to establish optimized systems and reach the full potential of this technology. Pave the way to sustainable processes: While developing novel processes for carbon dioxide reduction, photothermal processes have gained considerable appeal over the years. Continuous‐flow technologies proved to be an ideal tool for these processes by providing steady production of carbon monoxide or methane. Their merger with solar irradiation as energy source shines as a sustainable alternative to conventional approaches.