Recent advances of doped graphite carbon nitride for photocatalytic reduction of CO2: a review

CO2 is the main gas that causes the “greenhouse effect,” and it is also a rich carbon resource. The photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into fuel not only relieves the pressure brought by the environment pollution, but also is promising way to achieve the carbon cycle and address the problem of energy shortage. It is essential to design efficient photocatalysts for the practical application of photocatalytic CO2 conversion. Doped graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has a reduced bandgap, increased light absorption and effective charge separation and transfer efficiency. Recently, its application has been extended to the field of photocatalytic reduction of CO2. In this review, we first discuss the basic principles of photocatalytic reduction of CO2, then focus on the application of g-C3N4 doped with different elements in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 in recent years, and then summarize different doping methods. Finally, challenges and opportunities are presented, and potential solutions are proposed for future research.