Volume 61, Issue 2 e202108069
Review

Photocatalytic Conversion of Methane: Recent Advancements and Prospects

Qi Li

Qi Li

State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083 P. R. China

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Yuxing Ouyang

Yuxing Ouyang

State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083 P. R. China

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Dr. Hongliang Li

Dr. Hongliang Li

Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Strongly-Coupled Quantum Matter Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026 P. R. China

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Prof. Liangbing Wang

Corresponding Author

Prof. Liangbing Wang

State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083 P. R. China

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Prof. Jie Zeng

Corresponding Author

Prof. Jie Zeng

Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Strongly-Coupled Quantum Matter Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026 P. R. China

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First published: 26 July 2021
Citations: 184

Graphical Abstract

The conversion of methane driven by solar energy offers a promising approach to directly transform methane into valuable energy sources under mild conditions, but remains a great challenge. This Review highlights recent advances in the photocatalytic conversion of methane and gives insights into the design of effective semiconductor-based photocatalysts and classifies the photooxidations according to the oxidants in the reaction system.

Abstract

Abundant and affordable methane is not only a high-quality fossil fuel, it is also a raw material for the synthesis of value-added chemicals. Solar-energy-driven conversion of methane offers a promising approach to directly transform methane to valuable energy sources under mild conditions, but remains a great challenge at present. In this Review, recent advances in the photocatalytic conversion of methane are systematically summarized. Insights into the construction of effective semiconductor-based photocatalysts from the perspective of light-absorption units and active centers are highlighted and discussed in detail. The performance of various photocatalysts in the conversion of methane is presented, with the photooxidation classified according to the oxidant systems. Lastly, challenges and future perspectives in the photocatalytic oxidation of methane are described.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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