Recent Advances on Nanomaterials for Electrocatalytic CO2 Conversion

Abstract

The CO₂ challenge is one of the most urgent issues at present. Conversion of CO₂ to more valuable chemicals and fuels is considered to be a sustainable approach to deal with the CO₂ issue. Electrocatalytic CO₂ conversion (ECC) has received extensive attention recently owing to its mild operation conditions compared to conventional catalytic CO₂ conversion, which generally requires harsh reaction conditions including high temperatures and high pressures. In the past decade, nanomaterials have been widely studied as electrocatalysts for CO₂ conversion due to their intriguing properties including large surface area, tunable structures, and abundant surface chemistry, which generate enormous potential. Herein, we offer a comprehensive and insightful discussion in recent advances in the research field of ECC, especially the development of nanomaterials in the last five years (from 2015 to 2020) which have not been well-reviewed recently due to rapid development of the field. We also put special emphasis on structure/property–performance relationships and different catalytic mechanisms. Key scientific issues and prospective research directions are also presented. We believe that the insight in this review can serve as a clear guidance to design advanced electrocatalysts for CO₂ conversion in the near future.