Cu-Based Catalytic Materials for Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction: Recent Advances and Perspectives

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CRR) is a promising way to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into value-added hydrocarbons to alleviate the ever-increasing environmental problem and accelerate the realization of carbon cycling. Cost-effective and stable electrocatalytic materials with low overpotential, superior selectivity, excellent activity and great stability are critically important to achieve such a target. Cu-based electrocatalysts are promising candidates for electrochemical CRR due to their versatile abilities of converting CO2 into various products. This review analyzes and summarizes the current progress in utilization of Cu-based catalytic materials for electrochemical CRR. Monometallic, bimetallic, trimetallic, and multimetallic Cu-based electrocatalysts with variable elemental compositions and tunable morphologies, including Cu nanowires, Cu nanocubes (NCs), Cu porous structures, Cu-based alloys, Cu-oxide/hydrogen oxide, Cu single atoms, and 2D substrate-supported Cu electrocatalysts for CRR, are surveyed. Substantial advances in overcoming the existing bottlenecks of eletrocatalysts and effectively improving CRR performance of Cu-based electrocatalysts for future applications are systematically discussed. Challenges and perspectives of Cu-based electrocatalytic materials for CRR are also offered, which may shed light on further development of Cu-based electrocatalysts with superior performance. It is anticipated that this review will provide a valuable insight into the rational design and synthesis of highly efficient Cu-based electrocatalysts for large-scale CRR utilization.