Electronic delocalization engineering of bismuth-based materials for catalytic electrochemical CO2 and N2 conversion

Abstract

As the emerging of global environmental and energy issues, the green approach for value-added materials via electrochemical catalytic reduction reaction of CO2 and N2 is an important issue for sustainable development. But the catalytic selectivity including the product selectivity, charge efficiency and effective reaction rate is a major barrier toward application. Recently, the bismuth-based materials have achieved promising progress in the eletrocatalytic conversion of CO2 and N2, and the electronic delocalization engineering is efficient for fine modulation of the crucial intermediates for product selectivity and catalytic kinetics. This review focuses the electronic delocalization engineering of bismuth-based materials for electrocatalytic CO2 and N2 reduction reaction. The strategies to improve the catalytic performance including facet engineering, alloying, interface engineering, defects/vacancies engineering, atomic engineering, et al, in respect to each field are highlighted. Future development perspectives of Bi-based materials and related application are forecasted to expand the materials science and applications.