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Low-dimensional catalysts for hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction

Nature Reviews Chemistry volume 2, Article number: 0105 (2018) Cite this article

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Abstract

Low-dimensional materials and their hybrids have emerged as promising candidates for electrocatalytic and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and CO2 conversion into useful molecules. Progress in synthetic methods for the production of catalysts coupled with a better understanding of the fundamental catalytic mechanisms has enabled the rational design of catalytic nanomaterials with improved performance and selectivity. In this Review, we analyse the state of the art in the implementation of low-dimensional nanomaterials and their van der Waals heterostructures for hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction by electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. We explore the mechanisms involved in both reactions and the different strategies to further optimize the activity, efficiency and selectivity of low-dimensional catalysts.

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Figure 1: Physical properties of low-dimensional materials: 0D nanoparticles, 1D nanowires/nanotubes and 2D nanosheets with different electronic structures.
Figure 2: Properties of low-dimensional catalysts and strategies for enhancing the catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction reactions.
Figure 3: Linear scaling relationship for the CO2 reduction reaction.
Figure 4: Optical properties of selected low-dimensional materials.
Figure 5: Photocatalytic designs for H2 production and CO2 reduction.

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Acknowledgements

D.V. acknowledges financial support from the US Army RDECom Grant N°W911NF-17-2-0033 and the Cellule Exploratoire of CNRS. H.S.S acknowledges UNIST for financial support, 2107 research fund No. 1.170092

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Européen des Membranes (I.E.M.), UMR-5635, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, Montpellier, 34095, France

    Damien Voiry

  2. Department of Chemistry and Department of Energy Engineering, Low Dimensional Carbon Materials, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea

    Hyeon Suk Shin

  3. Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore, 117543

    Kian Ping Loh

  4. Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, 607 Taylor Road, Piscataway, 08854, New Jersey, USA

    Manish Chhowalla

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Voiry, D., Shin, H., Loh, K. et al. Low-dimensional catalysts for hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction. Nat Rev Chem 2, 0105 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-017-0105

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