Solid Nanoporosity Governs Catalytic CO₂ and N₂ Reduction

Abstract

Global demand for green and clean energy is increasing day by day owing to ongoing developments by the human race that are changing the face of the earth at a rate faster than ever. Exploring alternative sources of energy to replace fossil fuel consumption has become even more vital to control the growing concentration of CO 2 , and reduction of CO 2 into CO or other useful hydrocarbons (e.g., C 1 and C ≥2 products), as well as reduction of N 2 into ammonia, can greatly help in this regard. Various materials have been developed for the reduction of CO 2 and N 2 . The introduction of pores in these materials by porosity engineering has been demonstrated to be highly effective in increasing the efficiency of the involved redox reactions, over 40% increment for CO 2 reduction to date, by providing an increased number of exposed facets, kinks, edges, and catalytically active sites of catalysts. By shaping the surface porous structure, the selectivity of the redox reaction can also be enhanced. In order to better understand this area benefiting rational design for future solutions, this review systematically summarizes and constructively discusses the porosity engineering in catalytic materials, including various synthesis methods, characterization of porous materials, and the effects of porosity on performance of CO 2 reduction and N 2 reduction.

Exploring the Silent Aspect of Carbon Nanopores

“…Due to this contribution, the pores provide an entirely different than electrochemistry component to the mechanism, and thus, their influence should not be neglected. That effect of porosity has been also indicated recently in the studies of various CO2 carbon-based electrocatalysts [86][87][88]. Taking it into account might help to develop even more efficient CO2 reduction processes.…”

Recent progress in Bi2WO6‐Based photocatalysts for clean energy and environmental remediation: Competitiveness, challenges, and future perspectives

“…CO 2 is a typical greenhouse gas, and it is vital to reduce CO 2 through photocatalytic technologies. [ 18–23 ] Photocatalytic technologies can convert CO 2 into clean energy fuels, and it is expected that the direct use of the inexhaustible solar energy source is conducive to the recycling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. [ 238–241 ] Notably, the variety of products illustrate a complex reduction pathway, including C‐O bond breaking, C‐H bond formation, and radical dimerization.…”

“…[ 1 ] Since the discovery of the Fujishima and Honda effect in 1972, semiconductors photocatalysis has been greatly studied in academics and industry. [ 2,3 ] This technology can realize what human beings urgently desire, such as water splitting, [ 4–11 ] pollutant degradation, [ 12–17 ] CO 2 reduction, [ 18–25 ] and the selective synthesis of organic compounds. [ 26–29 ] Nevertheless, the following obstacles limit the practical application of semiconductor photocatalytic technology: (I) poor visible light absorption, (II) difficulty in separation of photogenerated carriers, and (III) unsatisfactory energy utilization efficiency.…”

“…[ 30,40 ] Importantly, it has promoted photocatalytic applications because of its low cost, nontoxicity, and excellent thermal and chemical stability. [ 3–28 ]…”

Recent Advances in 1D Electrospun Nanocatalysts for Electrochemical Water Splitting

“…Energy crisis, environmental pollution, and greenhouse effect are the major global challenges of this century. [ 1,2 ] It is thus necessary to develop and utilize clean, sustainable, and renewable energy resource to reduce the consumption of limited fossil fuels. Hydrogen is widely recognized as an environmental‐friendly, carbon‐free, and high energy density recourse.…”