Towards Durable, Selective Catalysts and Electrodes for the Electroreduction of CO_2 to Value-Added Chemicals and Fuels

摘要

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO_2) levels and the associated rise in global temperatures are major global concerns. Annually, the world emits an extra 14.7 Gt of atmospheric CO_2. Electricity production and transportation are large atmospheric CO_2 contributors (～70% of total emissions), and therefore scientists have developed renewable energies and fuel cells vehicles as a mitigation strategies. Another widely-studied mitigation approach is the electrochemical reduction of CO_2 (ECO_2RR) to value-added chemicals and fuels such as carbon monoxide, formic acid, ethylene, ethanol, and acetate can be made, which can serve as chemical feedstock for a variety of chemical processes. The chemical produced from ECO_2RR depends on the electrocatalyst and operating conditions utilized.