Tuning strategies and structure effects of electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction reaction

Newswise — Excessive carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption lead to serious climate and environmental problems, such as increasing global average temperature and sea-level rise. The crucial link is diminishing greenhouse gas (mainly CO₂) concentrations in the air, which requires efficient CO₂ conversions and utilizations. Electrocatalytic reduction reaction of carbon dioxide (CO₂RR) can directly convert renewable electricity and CO₂ into valuable chemicals, such as formic acid, methanol and ethanol.

Because of the multi-electron reaction mechanisms, the CO₂RR products are varied, so the catalyst design is crucial. Substantial strategies have been devoted to searching CO₂RR catalysts for specific products. The catalysts with different components or the different intrinsic structure with the same component can both invoke distinct performance. Therefore, reasonable strategies for tuning the intrinsic and external structure of catalysts have become a primary concern. It is important to develop new strategies for preparing CO₂RR catalysts, while the crystal plane, defect, vacancy or multi-component factors in the structure may lead to a series of effects to improve the catalytic activity. The analysis of the activity sources of different catalysts can reveal the catalytic intrinsic nature, which can provide theoretical support for designing CO₂RR catalysts.

Recently, a research team led by Prof. Weilin Xu from Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences reviewed the tuning strategies and structure effects of catalysts for the electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction reaction. The catalyst tuning strategies were reviewed from intrinsic (electrochemical methods, nanocrystal synthesis) and external (inorganic element doping, organic ligand modification) perspectives, respectively. The structure effects for the CO₂RR catalysts have also been discussed, such as tandem catalysis, synergistic effects and confinement catalysis. This review about tuning strategies and structure effects can provide guidance for designing highly efficient CO₂RR electrocatalysts. This review paper was published in Chinese Journal of Catalysis (https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-2067(21)63965-7).

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About the Journal

Chinese Journal of Catalysis is co-sponsored by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Chemical Society, and it is currently published by Elsevier group. This monthly journal publishes in English timely contributions of original and rigorously reviewed manuscripts covering all areas of catalysis. The journal publishes Reviews, Accounts, Communications, Articles, Highlights, Perspectives, and Viewpoints of highly scientific values that help understanding and defining of new concepts in both fundamental issues and practical applications of catalysis. Chinese Journal of Catalysis ranks among the top two journals in Applied Chemistry with a current SCI impact factor of 12.92. The Editors-in-Chief are Profs. Can Li and Tao Zhang.

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