Research advances in the light-driven conversion of CO₂ to valuable chemicals by two-dimensional nanomaterials

Removing excess CO₂ emissions from the atmosphere and converting CO₂ to value-added chemicals by photocatalysis using semiconductors is a ‘kill two birds with one stone’ approach, which can alleviate global warming and energy crises, and has attracted extensive attention of scientific researchers. Among various photocatalytic materials, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with large specific surface area, abundant active sites and a large number of surface unsaturated sites exhibit unique photoelectric properties distinguish from traditional materials, and are regarded as promising candidates with high photocatalytic activity for CO₂ reduction. In this review, some typical 2D nanomaterials including 2D metal-containing photocatalysts and 2D metal-free photocatalysts for photocatalytic CO₂ conversion are summarized. This review provides references for the design and synthesis of CO₂ reduction catalysts with high selectivity, activity and stability, and opens up a sustainable way to solve climate change, energy and environmental problems in the context of major national needs for carbon neutrality.