Engineering the micro-structure for reducing energy consumption in CO2 capture and catalytic conversion process

CO2 capture and utilization technologies have made significant progress, which not only seal and store CO2 but also convert it into chemical fuels to mitigate the energy crisis and environmental issues. However, there are few works elaborating the relationship between surface/interface micro-structure and energy consumption at the molecular level in the field of science-engineering. This review aims to shed light on the impact of micro-structures in the context of industrial ultra-low emission flue gas. The strategy on regulating micro-structures at the molecular level plays a crucial role in determining the energy required for CO2 capture regeneration and catalytic conversion processes (such as photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, thermal catalytic hydrogenation, photothermal catalysis, plasma catalysis, etc.). Furthermore, the feasibility of industrial/commercial applications of CO2 capture and catalytic conversion technology is assessed. Simultaneously, establishing a clear link between surface/interface micro-structures and energy consumption is of paramount importance. This work comprehensively introduce CO2 capture and catalytic conversion technologies engineered from structure modulation, aiming for reducing energy consumption and enhancing efficiency. From our perspective, it is believed that balancing the structure design and energy consumption could benefit the practical application of CO2 technology.