Cu-based Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Urea Synthesis from CO2 and NO3-: Mechanism, Design and Perspectives

Abstract

Electrocatalytic urea synthesis, as an emerging carbon-neutral technology, aims to directly synthesize urea from waste gases such as CO2 and NO3 -under mild conditions, which is of great significance for achieving sustainable energy development and environmental governance. However, its large-scale application is restricted by competitive side reactions, low C-N coupling efficiency and an unclear reaction mechanism. Currently, various metal catalysts have been developed and extensively studied to address these challenges. Cu-based catalysts have demonstrated great potential in this field due to their unique electronic structure, adjustable valence states, and excellent coupling ability for key reaction intermediates. This review systematically summarizes the research progress of Cu-based catalysts in electrocatalytic urea synthesis in recent years, and elaborates on the basic reaction mechanism of urea electro-synthesis. Furthermore, the modification strategies of different Cu-based catalysts were discussed in detail. Through in situ characterization and theoretical calculation, the influence rules of the intermediates produced during the reaction on the C-N coupling efficiency and selectivity were deeply analyzed. Finally, in view of the current challenges in this field, such as the need to improve Faraday efficiency and yield. This review offer a guidance for the design of the next generation of high performance urea electrosynthesis catalysts.