Photocatalytic Conversion of Methane: Recent Advancements and Prospects.

Abundant and affordable methane is not only high-quality fossil energy, but also the 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 as a grand challenge currently. In this Review, recent advancements of 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 proposed and discussed in detail. Moreover, photocatalytic performances of methane conversion over various catalysts are also presented and classified by oxidant systems. Lastly, challenges and future perspectives concerning mechanistic study and practical application of photocatalytic methane oxidation are introduced.