Towards understanding of CO₂ electroreduction to C₂₊ products on copper‐based catalysts

Abstract

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) has been regarded as a promising technique for converting CO2 into high‐value fuels and chemicals. Powered by renewable electricity, the CO2RR provides a viable strategy to mitigate the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and close the anthropogenic carbon cycle. Recent studies exhibit that copper‐based catalysts are capable of reducing CO2 to C2+ products, such as ethylene and ethanol, which are of higher value compared with C1 products. The reaction process toward C2+ products involves the formation of key intermediate *CO, the C–C bonding, and the post‐C–C bonding to final products. This perspective is focusing on the mechanism leading to C2+ products, examining the evidence from in situ/operando spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The effects of Cu facet and electrolyte on catalytic performance are reviewed. An in depth discussion of mechanistic aspects of Cu catalyst is presented, shedding light on the intrinsic features of catalyst and electrode‐electrolyte interface, therefore moving towards an understanding of CO2RR at the atomic level.

Highly Dispersed NiO Clusters Induced Electron Delocalization of NiNC Catalysts for Enhanced CO2 Electroreduction

“…Electrocatalytic reduction has been demonstrated as a promising approach to utilizing CO 2 and realizing carbon neutrality. [1][2][3] However, the implementation of electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) in practical applications is still limited by the high activation barrier of CO 2 and the multiple electrontransfer pathways. [4] Moreover, the competitive hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) involved in aqueous electro lytes also pose with higher electronegativity than nitrogen could enhance the CO 2 RR activity.…”

Making chemicals from the air: the new frontier for hybrid electrosyntheses in artificial tree-like devices

“…These are the common assumptions of most theoretical studies on forming C2 products in the electrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 . 231,[242][243][244][245][246][247][248] Other studies also indicate that the interaction of CO 2 with the metal catalyst may not be essential. 249 More examples can be presented.…”

Mini‐Review: Progress on the Controllable Synthesis of Micro/Nanoscale Bi2S3 Functional Materials

“…[128,129] However, the advancements of these methods have been limited by the shortcomings of expensive, long time and partial degradation, resulting from the transportation from one primary pollutant into another one. [130,131] Biological processes achieved high efficiency, eco-friendly, and complete degradation, but the metabolites produced during dissociation procedures by these methods are uncontrollable with toxicity. [132] Compared to aforementioned approaches, photocatalysis is regarded as an active and radical form on account of the green decomposition of pollutants into environmental species without poisonousness, good reusability, and simple operation.…”