Rational Design of Novel Catalysts with Atomic Layer Deposition for the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide

摘要

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the end products of fuel combustion and the major component of the greenhouse gases. The reduction of atmospheric CO2 not only decreases environmental pollution but also produces value-added chemicals, solving energy and environment issues simultaneously. One significant challenge is the low conversion efficiency of CO2 reduction due to the inertness of the CO2 molecule. The design of the catalyst nanomaterials with the high selectivity, stability, and the activation capabilities for the conversion of CO2 is needed. Atomic layer deposition (ALD), capable of constructing catalysts with atomic-level precision in a highly controllable manner, is a promising technique to address the key problems in CO2 reduction. This review explores the application of ALD in CO2 reduction, emphasizing the designs of the efficient catalyst nanomaterials fabricated by the ALD technique and their applications in CO2 reduction and capture. The significance of the ALD catalysts with the fine structures is highlighted to obtain a better understanding of the catalytic performance-aimed benefits as well as an outlook on the ALD-designed catalysts for the reduction of CO2.