Issue 47, 2023

Cu-based catalyst designs in CO2 electroreduction: precise modulation of reaction intermediates for high-value chemical generation

Abstract

The massive emission of excess greenhouse gases (mainly CO2) have an irreversible impact on the Earth's ecology. Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR), a technique that utilizes renewable energy sources to create highly reduced chemicals (e.g. C2H4, C2H5OH), has attracted significant attention in the science community. Cu-based catalysts have emerged as promising candidates for ECR, particularly in producing multi-carbon products that hold substantial value in modern industries. The formation of multi-carbon products involves a range of transient intermediates, the behaviour of which critically influences the reaction pathway and product distribution. Consequently, achieving desirable products necessitates precise regulation of these intermediates. This review explores state-of-the-art designs of Cu-based catalysts, classified into three categories based on the different prospects of the intermediates' modulation: heteroatom doping, morphological structure engineering, and local catalytic environment engineering. These catalyst designs enable efficient multi-carbon generation in ECR by effectively modulating reaction intermediates.

Graphical abstract: Cu-based catalyst designs in CO2 electroreduction: precise modulation of reaction intermediates for high-value chemical generation

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
20 8 2023
Accepted
13 10 2023
First published
16 10 2023
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 13629-13660

Cu-based catalyst designs in CO2 electroreduction: precise modulation of reaction intermediates for high-value chemical generation

L. Xie, Y. Jiang, W. Zhu, S. Ding, Y. Zhou and J. Zhu, Chem. Sci., 2023, 14, 13629 DOI: 10.1039/D3SC04353C

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