Graphitic carbon nitride-based Z-scheme structure for photocatalytic CO2 reduction

Abstract

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction (PCR) into hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals such as CH4, CH3OH, HCHO, and HCOOH is a promising strategy for simultaneously solving environmental challenges and realizing solar-to-energy conversion for sustainable development. Among the photocatalysts developed, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4, GCN) is widely applied in PCR, ascribing to its suitable electronic and physicochemical attributes. In the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of GCN in PCR, substantial efforts have been made by coupling GCN with auxiliary semiconductors to construct direct or indirect Z-scheme structures using effective methods. Aiming to offer insights into structure–activity relationships, we summarize the latest advancements in the GCN-based Z-scheme structure (ZSS) in this review, with respect to the structure engineering strategies for direct ZSS construction and various approaches for indirect ZSS configuration. The present issues and perspectives of GCN-based ZSS for PCR are also presented and discussed.