Recent Advances in Interface Engineering for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction Reaction

Abstract

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) can store and transform the intermittent renewable energy in the form of chemical energy for industrial production of chemicals and fuels, which can dramatically reduce CO2 emission and contribute to carbon-neutral cycle. Efficient electrocatalytic reduction of chemically inert CO2 is challenging from thermodynamic and kinetic points of view. Therefore, low-cost, highly efficient, and readily available electrocatalysts have been the focus for promoting the conversion of CO2. Very recently, interface engineering has been considered as a highly effective strategy to modulate the electrocatalytic performance through electronic and/or structural modulation, regulations of electron/proton/mass/intermediates, and the control of local reactant concentration, thereby achieving desirable reaction pathway, inhibiting competing hydrogen generation, breaking binding-energy scaling relations of intermediates, and promoting CO2 mass transfer. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of current developments in interface engineering for CO2RR from both a theoretical and experimental standpoint, involving interfaces between metal and metal, metal and metal oxide, metal and nonmetal, metal oxide and metal oxide, organic molecules and inorganic materials, electrode and electrolyte, molecular catalysts and electrode, etc. Finally, the opportunities and challenges of interface engineering for CO2RR are proposed.

Isotype Heterojunction-Boosted CO2 Photoreduction to CO

“…However, up to date, no studies have reported photocatalytic CRR over isotype heterojunctions. Uncovering the detailed reaction mechanism can provide new insights into modulating the catalytic behavior by junction engineering in photocatalytic CRR materials [31][32][33][34][35]. Particularly, it is well known that enhanced photogenerated carrier dynamics enables higher performances.…”

“…Particularly, it is well known that enhanced photogenerated carrier dynamics enables higher performances. However, a long-standing question in photocatalysis is that how such enhancement actually contributes to the overall reaction kinetics [31,[33][34][35].…”

Surface and interface chemistry in metal‐free electrocatalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction

“…The interface is formed by the complex bonding or synergistic effect of different components 41 . It can regulate the electronic structure, electron transfer, mass transport, and the binding energy of reaction intermediates to accelerate the electrochemical CO 2 RR performances 42,43 . Thus, the surface and interface chemistry of MFEs can improve the activity and selectivity of CO 2 RR from the view of thermodynamics and kinetics.…”

“…Wang et al 44 focused on the interfacial effect of supported catalysts in CO 2 RR. Hu et al 43 reviewed recent progress of interface engineering in turning the CO 2 RR performance by electronic and/or structural modulation, involving the metal–metal, metal–metal oxide, metal‐nonmetal, metal oxide‐metal oxide, and so on. They also discussed that the electronic and/or structural modulation could adjust electron, proton, mass, intermediates, and local reactant concentration.…”

Highly efficient and stable indium single-atom catalysts for electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate

“…The j formate of In@NC displays a gradual upward trend as the applied potential increases, indicating that the metallic In can promote the production of formate during the ECR process. 34 Strikingly, the In-SACs possess much higher j formate than In@NC. Unlike the linear increase of the total current density with the applied potential (Fig.…”