Advances in Electrochemical Synthesis of Urea from CO2 and Nitrogen-Containing Precursors

Abstract

This review critically examines recent advances in electrocatalytic urea synthesis from CO₂ and nitrogenous precursors (N₂, NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻). It elucidates C-N coupling mechanisms, evaluates key performance metrics, and systematically presents catalyst design strategies (designing composition/constructing heterostructure/ elemental doping/defect engineering/constructing atomic-level catalysts). Persistent challenges and future directions are also discussed.