Imidazolium-Based Materials for CO2 Electroreduction

Abstract

With the increasing use of fossil energy sources, the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere is rising, leading to environmental challenges. However, the conversion of CO 2 into high value-added chemicals through catalysis presents an opportunity to address these issues and create a new pathway for fuel synthesis, ultimately helping to reduce CO 2 emissions and achieve carbon neutrality . Among various methods, the CO 2 electroreduction reaction (CO 2 RR) using renewable clean energy has garnered significant attention due to its mild reaction conditions, controlled reactions progress, environmental friendliness , and numerous valueadded products it can yield. In this context, imidazolium-based materials and their derivatives have emerged as promising candidates for CO 2 RR. These materials have a strong affinity for CO 2 and find applications as both electrolytes and electrocatalysts in CO 2 RR systems. So one of their key advantages, especially Im-ILs, is their ability to enrich CO 2 in catalytic systems, effectively preventing the undesired hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and enhancing the selectivity towards CO 2 RR products. Understanding the interaction mechanism between imidazolium-based ionic liquids (Im-ILs) and CO 2 molecules under electrocatalytic conditions is crucial for gaining deeper insights into why the addition of Im-ILs can improve CO 2 RR performance from a molecular perspective. Furthermore, Im-ILs can serve as both surface modifier groups and trapping agents in heterogeneous electrocatalysts , which can significantly alter the surface environment and hydrophobicity of the catalysts, leading to improved CO 2 RR. Notably, the imidazolium groups present in Lehn-type and metal-porphyrin molecular catalysts have been found to have an impact on the performance of these catalysts in CO 2 RR. Lastly, N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-based electrocatalysts , as one of the active forms of imidazolium interaction with CO 2 , have demonstrated exceptional performance. When introduced into porous heterogeneous catalysts and molecular catalysts, NHC-based electrocatalysts stabilize metal nanoparticles and enhance the ability to capture CO 2 , thus promoting CO 2 RR activity. In summary, the utilization of imidazolium-based materials in CO 2 RR holds great promise for advancing the field of CO 2 conversion and achieving more sustainable and efficient processes for high-value chemical synthesis. Download: Download high-res image (103KB) Download: Download full-size image

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