Advancements and challenges of tailored engineering of carbon materials for electrolytic CO2 reduction to high-value carbon products

Abstract

The extensive release of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), poses a significant global challenge linked to fossil fuel use. These emissions contribute to the deterioration of the ecosystem around us, including global warming, rising sea levels, and biodiversity loss. In order to mitigate climate change by limiting greenhouse gas emissions, CO₂ must be electrochemically converted to carbon products. It transforms a waste product into high-value chemicals and fuels that promote resource recovery leading to economic opportunities. Our review provides an extensive examination of current research on carbon-based catalysts used for the reductive electrochemical transformation of CO₂. The focus is on advances and ongoing challenges in converting CO₂ into valuable carbon-based products. The low cost, large surface area, improved reliability, and conductive properties of carbon-based compounds make them excellent catalysts. These materials can be customized through methods such as heteroatom doping and composite formation, allowing for modulation of their catalytic properties to favor specific reaction pathways and increase product selectivity. This review includes a summary table highlighting the reduction products, faradaic efficiency (FE), current density (J), stability, and key features of various carbon-based catalysts. It also discusses major challenges, design principles, strategic recommendations, and future directions for developing effective carbon-based electrocatalysts for CO₂ reduction.