Advances in cutting‐edge electrode engineering toward CO2 electrolysis at high current density and selectivity: A mini‐review. Issue 2 (28th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tang, Jiayi; Weiss, Ellen; Shao, Zongping
• Is Part Of: Carbon neutralization. Volume 1:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 140
• Page End: 158
• Publication Date: 2022-08-28
• Subjects: CO2 electrolysis -- electrode engineering -- electrode–electrolyte interface -- gas diffusion electrode -- self‐supporting electrode -- tandem catalysis; Carbon sequestration; Carbon dioxide mitigation; Carbon dioxide -- Environmental aspects; Clean energy; Periodicals; 363.73874
• DOI: 10.1002/cnl2.21
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2769-3325

Abstract

Abstract: Electrochemical CO2 conversion has been raised as a promising solution for building a carbon‐neutral economy under today's circumstances of increasing energy shortages and air pollution from human activities. Research on electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) is gradually entering a pilot‐scale stage. The use of device‐level CO2 electrolysis in the production of value‐added chemicals and fuels at a high production rate and selectivity is highly required to make the technology economical and sustainable. With more exploration toward device‐level performance optimization, it gradually becomes clear that electrode engineering on structures, surface properties, active site distribution, and density, as well as the electrode–electrolyte interface, is more critical than the intrinsic activity of catalytic sites. Taking this into account, this review focuses on interpreting the design principles in aspects with the aim of enhancing the CO2 RR toward a specific product yield and production rate. This mini‐review summarizes the advances in this dynamic field in the most recent 5 years, including the fabrication of porous gas diffusion electrodes, and self‐supporting electrodes, establishment of tandem or cascade electrode function, as well as tuning of interfacial cation buffering and wettability, and analyze the trends in the future scientific and technological development of device‐level CO2 electrolysis. Hopefully, this mini‐review could provide some insights into the opportunities in the next‐generation electrode design for the industrial carbon cycle. Abstract : Exploration for increasing CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) at high current density and selectivity cannot get rid of electrode engineering at the device level. Manipulating the electrode structures, functions, and interface properties has attracted extensive scientific interest to greatly promote the device‐level CO2 RR performance by increasing the accessible active sites, facilitating the multistep processes, and tuning the local reaction environment, as well as benefiting the mass transport.