Abstract

At present, carbon dioxide (CO2) is the largest contributor among greenhouse gases. This article addresses the potential application of photocatalysis to the reduction of CO2 emissions from industrial flue gas streams. Not only does this process remove CO2, but it can also convert CO2 into other chemical commodities such as methane, methanol, and ethanol. In addition, the photocatalytic process can consume less energy than conventional methods by harnessing solar energy. Given these advantages, photocatalysis is an attractive alternative for CO2 capture. This article reviews the principle of photocatalysis; existing literature related to photocatalytic CO2 reduction; and the effects of important parameters on process performance, including light wavelength and intensity, type of reductant, metal-modified surface, temperature, and pressure. Finally, we discuss various system configurations for UV and solar photocatalytic reactors. The advances in photocatalysis technology indicate a promising application potential for significant reductions of CO2 emissions and a positive impact on climate change effects.