IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natene/v4y2019i9d10.1038_s41560-019-0450-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Advances and challenges in understanding the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to fuels

Author

Listed:
  • Yuvraj Y. Birdja

    (Leiden University
    Flemish Institute for Technological Research)

  • Elena Pérez-Gallent

    (Leiden University
    TNO)

  • Marta C. Figueiredo

    (Leiden University
    Eindhoven University of Technology)

  • Adrien J. Göttle

    (Leiden University)

  • Federico Calle-Vallejo

    (Leiden University
    Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Fisica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, Universitat de Barcelona)

  • Marc T. M. Koper

    (Leiden University)

Abstract

The electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide is a promising approach for storing (excess) renewable electricity as chemical energy in fuels. Here, we review recent advances and challenges in the understanding of electrochemical CO2 reduction. We discuss existing models for the initial activation of CO2 on the electrocatalyst and their importance for understanding selectivity. Carbon–carbon bond formation is also a key mechanistic step in CO2 electroreduction to high-density and high-value fuels. We show that both the initial CO2 activation and C–C bond formation are influenced by an intricate interplay between surface structure (both on the nano- and on the mesoscale), electrolyte effects (pH, buffer strength, ion effects) and mass transport conditions. This complex interplay is currently still far from being completely understood. In addition, we discuss recent progress in in situ spectroscopic techniques and computational techniques for mechanistic work. Finally, we identify some challenges in furthering our understanding of these themes.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuvraj Y. Birdja & Elena Pérez-Gallent & Marta C. Figueiredo & Adrien J. Göttle & Federico Calle-Vallejo & Marc T. M. Koper, 2019. "Advances and challenges in understanding the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to fuels," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 732-745, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:4:y:2019:i:9:d:10.1038_s41560-019-0450-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-019-0450-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-019-0450-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41560-019-0450-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:4:y:2019:i:9:d:10.1038_s41560-019-0450-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.