Perovskite, the Chameleon CO₂ Photocatalyst

The prevalence of perovskite materials in myriad technologies is traceable to their diverse compositions, structures, and forms, variations of which bestow them with chameleon-like properties, functionality, and utility. By modifying the ABO₃ archetype perovskites through isomorphic substitution, aliovalent doping, and non-stoichiometry, as well as tailoring their form through nanostructuring, heterostructuring, superstructuring, and polymorphism, the portfolio of application opportunities for perovskite materials can be greatly expanded. The focus of this perspective is to explore the thought process by which human intelligence and experiential learning enables the discovery of a champion photocatalyst for CO₂ hydrogenation by juggling the elements in perovskite oxides and at which point this well-established approach needs a helping hand from artificial intelligence and machine learning.