Revisiting Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction in Nonaqueous Media: Promoting CO<sub>2</sub> Recycling in Organic Molecules by Controlling H<sub>2</sub> Evolution
Eduardo Arizono dos Reis, Gelson T. S. T. da Silva, Elisabete I. Santiago, Cauê Ribeiro
Abstract
Electrochemical CO 2 reduction to fuels or commodity chemicals using renewable energy has drawn attention as a strategy for closing the anthropogenic chemical carbon cycle. More than that, enhancing the C–C coupling between the intermediates could lead to producing a range of high‐value multi‐carbon molecules. Although the research mainly focuses on the aqueous media for the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (eRRCO 2 ), using nonaqueous electrolytes has the advantage of suppressing the hydrogen evolution reaction, controlling the proton‐assisted reduction reactions, and favoring the C–C coupling. Herein, the use of nonaqueous electrolytes for eRRCO 2 and the components of the electrochemical reactor that affect the selectivity of the reaction are revisited. This review provides a perspective view of recent findings compared to well‐established papers while presenting what is known about eRRCO 2 in nonaqueous media.