Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniques

The photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals represents a significant strategy for addressing global warming and climate change. The effectiveness and selectivity of this process depend critically on the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs within photocatalysts. This review s...

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Main Authors: Bangwang Li, Liteng Ren, Daochuan Jiang, Minyu Jia, Mengjie Zhang, Gengsheng Xu, Yingqiang Sun, Linrui Hou, Changzhou Yuan, Yupeng Yuan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Next Energy
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949821X24001273
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author Bangwang Li
Liteng Ren
Daochuan Jiang
Minyu Jia
Mengjie Zhang
Gengsheng Xu
Yingqiang Sun
Linrui Hou
Changzhou Yuan
Yupeng Yuan
author_facet Bangwang Li
Liteng Ren
Daochuan Jiang
Minyu Jia
Mengjie Zhang
Gengsheng Xu
Yingqiang Sun
Linrui Hou
Changzhou Yuan
Yupeng Yuan
author_sort Bangwang Li
collection DOAJ
description The photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals represents a significant strategy for addressing global warming and climate change. The effectiveness and selectivity of this process depend critically on the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs within photocatalysts. This review summarizes recent advancements in optimizing photocatalyst performance through enhanced charge carrier dynamics. We first detail the fundamental principles of free carrier dynamics and exciton interactions and then evaluate strategies for improving charge carrier separation and utilization, such as cocatalyst loading, heterojunction formation, photoelectron injection, and donor-acceptor systems. The role of advanced characterization methods, including photoluminescence, Kelvin probe force microscopy, transient absorption spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, in elucidating charge carrier dynamics, is also reviewed. The review concludes by identifying current challenges and proposing future research perspectives on enhancing charge carrier dynamics to improve CO2 reduction efficiency.
format Article
id doaj-art-8f016fe374334ef3af40b814672f668b
institution OA Journals
issn 2949-821X
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Next Energy
spelling doaj-art-8f016fe374334ef3af40b814672f668b2025-08-20T01:57:12ZengElsevierNext Energy2949-821X2025-04-01710022210.1016/j.nxener.2024.100222Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniquesBangwang Li0Liteng Ren1Daochuan Jiang2Minyu Jia3Mengjie Zhang4Gengsheng Xu5Yingqiang Sun6Linrui Hou7Changzhou Yuan8Yupeng Yuan9School of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Key Laboratory of Structure & Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials, Ministry of Education, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P R ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Key Laboratory of Structure & Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials, Ministry of Education, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P R ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Key Laboratory of Structure & Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials, Ministry of Education, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P R ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P R ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P R ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Key Laboratory of Structure & Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials, Ministry of Education, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P R ChinaSchool of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P R China; Corresponding authors.School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P R ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P R China; Corresponding authors.School of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Key Laboratory of Structure & Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials, Ministry of Education, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P R China; Corresponding authors.The photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals represents a significant strategy for addressing global warming and climate change. The effectiveness and selectivity of this process depend critically on the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs within photocatalysts. This review summarizes recent advancements in optimizing photocatalyst performance through enhanced charge carrier dynamics. We first detail the fundamental principles of free carrier dynamics and exciton interactions and then evaluate strategies for improving charge carrier separation and utilization, such as cocatalyst loading, heterojunction formation, photoelectron injection, and donor-acceptor systems. The role of advanced characterization methods, including photoluminescence, Kelvin probe force microscopy, transient absorption spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, in elucidating charge carrier dynamics, is also reviewed. The review concludes by identifying current challenges and proposing future research perspectives on enhancing charge carrier dynamics to improve CO2 reduction efficiency.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949821X24001273PhotocatalysisCO2 reductionCharge carrier dynamicsExcitonsCharacterizations
spellingShingle Bangwang Li
Liteng Ren
Daochuan Jiang
Minyu Jia
Mengjie Zhang
Gengsheng Xu
Yingqiang Sun
Linrui Hou
Changzhou Yuan
Yupeng Yuan
Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniques
Next Energy
Photocatalysis
CO2 reduction
Charge carrier dynamics
Excitons
Characterizations
title Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniques
title_full Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniques
title_fullStr Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniques
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniques
title_short Optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced CO2 photoreduction: Fundamental principles, advanced strategies, and characterization techniques
title_sort optimizing charge carrier dynamics in photocatalysts for enhanced co2 photoreduction fundamental principles advanced strategies and characterization techniques
topic Photocatalysis
CO2 reduction
Charge carrier dynamics
Excitons
Characterizations
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949821X24001273
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