Recent Progress on Nano-heterostructure Photocatalysts for Solar Fuels Generation

Photocatalytic solar fuels generation, including H 2 production from water splitting and hydrocarbon compounds generation from CO 2 reduction, is considered as one of the most perspective strategies to solve energy crisis in the future. State-of-the-art photocatalysts yield the highest energy conversion efficiency of 5%, failed to achieve the goal of 10% for the large-scale economic production of solar fuels. Nano-heterostructure photocatalysts have distinct properties which are not observed in bulk heterostructure or in the individual nanoscale components, thus can facilitate the separation of photoinduced charge carries, provide more electrons or stronger redox ability, and consequently improve photocatalytic activity. This review firstly introduces the photocatalytic principles of diverse nano-heterostructures, including type I, type II, p-n, and Z-scheme types. Their applications in solar fuels generation are summarized, and some perspectives on the development are also discussed.