Photocatalysis for Hydrogen Production and CO2 Reduction: The Case of Copper-Catalysts

Problems derived from climate change dictate the reestablishment of our prospective in energy production. In this direction, converting solar energy through photocatalysis into suitable fuels such as hydrogen and carbon-based fuels by water splitting and CO2 reduction, respectively, has been established as a promising approach. Currently, the main concern in this field is the development of cost-effective and efficient photocatalysts. Among the different systems studied, Cu-based photocatalysts are considered attractive candidates for both applications due to their relative low-cost, the natural abundance of the constituents and their promising reactivity. In this review, the current progress in the field of Cu-based photoactive materials for both H2 production and CO2 reduction will be discussed. Finally, an outlook on the challenges and future research directions is given.