Nanomeghyas

Nanomeghyas

One-dimensional nanotubes: Effective structures in photocatalytic CO2 conversion/reduction reaction into valuable products

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Institute for Convergence Science and Technology, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran , Iran.
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In the contemporary era, air pollution and global warming remain critical environmental challenges, intensified by the continuous rise in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2). Converting CO2 into value-added products such as methane, ethane, and methanol through the Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Reaction (PCRR) has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate its environmental impact. The basis of photocatalytic processes is the selection and design of semiconductor catalysts. However, these catalysts face intrinsic limitations, including limited light absorption and rapid electron–hole recombination, which significantly reduce conversion efficiency. One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures, especially nanotubes, are considered efficient candidates to address these limitations owing to their high specific surface area, large aspect ratio, enhanced charge transport properties, and improved light-harvesting capability. This review presents an introduction to one-dimensional nanotubes and examines their prominent properties such as structural, mechanical and photocatalytic ones. It also investigates the PCRR mechanism from thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives. Furthermore, strategies for improving the performance of nanotubes in photocatalytic processes such as metal and non-metal doping, co-catalyst loading, and heterojunction construction are presented. Finally, the most widely used types of nanotubes for the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into valuable products (like methane and methanol) such as CNTs, BNNTs and TMDCs are introduced.
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  • Receive Date 14 May 2026
  • Accept Date 25 May 2026