Emerging Cu‐Based Tandem Catalytic Systems for CO₂ Electroreduction to Multi‐Carbon Products

Abstract

Conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) to valuable chemicals and feedstocks through electrochemical reduction holds promise for achieving carbon neutrality and mitigating global warming. C2+ products are of interest due to their higher economic value. Since the CO2 to C2+ conversion process involves multiple steps, tandem catalytic strategies are commonly employed in the design of electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) catalysts and systems/reactors. Among the diverse catalysts that are capable of reducing CO2 to CO, Cu stands out for more efficiently further converting CO to C2+ products. In this review, the emerging Cu‐based tandem catalysts and their impact on CO2RR performance, focusing on three positional relationships are summarized. It delves into the integration of tandem catalytic strategies into membrane electrolyzers, utilizing catalyst‐coated substrate (CCS) and catalyst‐coated membrane (CCM) technologies. Several typical examples are presented to illustrate this integration. Finally, the challenges and prospects of applying tandem strategies in the development of CO2RR catalysts/systems, as well as their device‐level implementation are indicated.

A synergic investigation of experimental and computational dual atom electrocatalysis for CO2 conversion to C1 and C2+ products

“…Although multi-carbon products were detected in the Cu-catalyzed CO 2 RR, Cu-based DACs generating C 2+ products effectively were a rare case. 158–160 C 2+ product formation requires the coupling of two reduced CO 2 substrates such as *CO–*CO, *CO–*COH/*CHO, *COH/*CHO, and *COH/*CHO. The M–CO binding should not be too strong as it would undermine the C–C coupling step and if the M–CO binding is too weak then it would promote CO release.…”