Non-precious molybdenum nanospheres as a novel cocatalyst for full-spectrum-driven photocatalytic CO 2 reforming to CH 4 .

•The Mo nanospheres were loaded on the surface of g-C3N4 via a facile in-situ solvothermal method.•The Mo nanospheres induced the raised CO2 adsorption and photo-thermal-driven activation.•The decorated Mo nanospheres trapped the photo-induced electrons to retard the recombination of charge carriers.•The loading of Mo nanospheres extended the spectral response from the UV to the NIR region.