Catalysts and electrolyzers for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction: from laboratory to industrial applications

Abstract

To cope with the urgent environmental pressure and tight energy demand, using electrocatalytic methods to drive the reduction of carbon dioxide molecules and produce a variety of fuels and chemicals, is one of the effective pathways to achieve carbon neutrality. In recent years, many significant advances in the study of the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR) have been made, but most of the works exhibit low current density, small electrode area and poor long-term stability, which are not suitable for large-scale industrial applications. Herein, combining the research achievements obtained in laboratories and the practical demand of industrial production, we summarize recent frontier progress in the field of the electrochemical CO₂RR, including the fundamentals of catalytic reactions, catalyst design and preparation, and the construction of electrolyzers. In addition, we discuss the bottleneck problem of industrial CO₂ electrolysis, and further present the prospect of the essential issues to be solved by the available technology for industrial electrolysis. This review can provide some basic understanding and knowledge accumulation for the development and practical application of electrochemical CO₂RR technology.