Towards understanding of CO<sub>2</sub> electroreduction to C<sub>2+</sub> products on copper‐based catalysts
Tianfu Liu, Jiaqi Sang, Hefei Li, Pengfei Wei, Yipeng Zang, Guoxiong Wang
Abstract
Abstract The electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) has been regarded as a promising technique for converting CO 2 into high‐value fuels and chemicals. Powered by renewable electricity, the CO 2 RR provides a viable strategy to mitigate the CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere and close the anthropogenic carbon cycle. Recent studies exhibit that copper‐based catalysts are capable of reducing CO 2 to C 2+ products, such as ethylene and ethanol, which are of higher value compared with C 1 products. The reaction process toward C 2+ products involves the formation of key intermediate *CO, the C–C bonding, and the post‐C–C bonding to final products. This perspective is focusing on the mechanism leading to C 2+ products, examining the evidence from in situ/operando spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The effects of Cu facet and electrolyte on catalytic performance are reviewed. An in depth discussion of mechanistic aspects of Cu catalyst is presented, shedding light on the intrinsic features of catalyst and electrode‐electrolyte interface, therefore moving towards an understanding of CO 2 RR at the atomic level.