Recent Advances in Inorganic Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts for Reduction of Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

In view of the climate changes caused by the continuously rising levels of atmospheric CO2 , advanced technologies associated with CO2 conversion are highly desirable. In recent decades, electrochemical reduction of CO2 has been extensively studied since it can reduce CO2 to value-added chemicals and fuels. Considering the sluggish reaction kinetics of the CO2 molecule, efficient and robust electrocatalysts are required to promote this conversion reaction. Here, recent progress and opportunities in inorganic heterogeneous electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction are discussed, from the viewpoint of both experimental and computational aspects. Based on elemental composition, the inorganic catalysts presented here are classified into four groups: metals, transition-metal oxides, transition-metal chalcogenides, and carbon-based materials. However, despite encouraging accomplishments made in this area, substantial advances in CO2 electrolysis are still needed to meet the criteria for practical applications. Therefore, in the last part, several promising strategies, including surface engineering, chemical modification, nanostructured catalysts, and composite materials, are proposed to facilitate the future development of CO2 electroreduction.

CO2 Reduction: From the Electrochemical to Photochemical Approach

“…Several previous high‐quality review articles on similar topics are available 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Given the recent heightened research activities and increasingly deepened understanding of these two processes, we believe that an up‐to‐date account on their status and existing challenges is necessary so as to provide readers with a current snapshot of this rapidly evolving area.…”

Atomistic Mechanisms Underlying Selectivities in C1 and C2 Products from Electrochemical Reduction of CO on Cu(111)

“…1 The only known electrode material that produces significant amounts of valuable products (primarily methane and ethylene, with minor alcohol products) 2−7 is copper, which suffers from high overpotentials and a lack of selectivity, precluding practical applications. In order to provide the basis for developing more efficient and selective electrocatalysts, we report here the complete mechanistic understanding of the pH dependent processes on Cu based on grand canonical quantum mechanics (GC-QM) including solvation.…”

Cu metal embedded in oxidized matrix catalyst to promote CO 2 activation and CO dimerization for electrochemical reduction of CO 2

“…electrochemical reduction of CO 2 | Cu metal embedded in oxidized matrix | density functional theory | CO 2 activation | CO dimerization E lectrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) to valuable chemicals is an essential strategy to achieve industrial-scale reduction of the carbon footprint under mild conditions and to provide a means of storing electrical power from intermittent renewable sources into stable chemical forms (1). Cu is the prototype electrocatalyst for CO2RR, because it is the only pure metal that delivers appreciable amounts of methane and ethylene plus minor alcohol products (2-7), but it suffers from high overpotentials and very significant hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs).…”