Issue 1, 2023

Multicomponent catalyst design for CO2/N2/NOx electroreduction

Abstract

Electroreduction of small molecules such as CO2, N2, and NO3 is one of the promising routes to produce sustainable chemicals and fuels and store renewable energy, which could contribute to our carbon neutrality goal. Emerging multicomponent electrocatalysts, integrating the advantages of individual components of catalysts, are of great importance to achieve efficient electroreduction of small molecules via activation of inert bonds and multistep transformation. In this review, some basic issues in the electroreduction of small molecules including CO2, N2, and NO3 are briefly introduced. We then discuss our fundamental understanding of the rule of interaction in multicomponent electrocatalysts, and summarize three models for multicomponent catalysts, including type I, “a non-catalytically active component can activate or protect another catalytic component”; type II, “all catalytic components provide active intermediates for electrochemical conversion”; and type III, “one component provides the substrate for the other through conversion or adsorption”. Additionally, an outlook was considered to highlight the future directions of multicomponent electrocatalysts toward industrial applications.

Keywords: Green chemistry; Green carbon science; Electrocatalysis; Synergetic effect.

Graphical abstract: Multicomponent catalyst design for CO2/N2/NOx electroreduction

Article information

Article type
Minireview
Submitted
08 Dec 2022
Accepted
28 Dec 2022
First published
03 Jan 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Ind. Chem. Mater., 2023,1, 93-105

Multicomponent catalyst design for CO2/N2/NOx electroreduction

S. Jia, L. Wu, L. Xu, X. Sun and B. Han, Ind. Chem. Mater., 2023, 1, 93 DOI: 10.1039/D2IM00056C

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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