Local concentration effect on nano-electrocatalytic CO2 reduction

Abstract

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) powered by renewable electricity offers an efficient way of capturing CO2 from the environment to mitigate the climate challenge and produce carbon-neutral hydrocarbon fuels. As the electrocatalysts downsize to the nanoscale, the effect of local concentration around catalysts turns to be significant for the performance of CO2 reduction. Herein, we review nanoscale local concentration effect on electrocatalytic CO2RR by summing up some recent related catalyst design strategies and their underlying mechanisms, providing a perspective for future catalyst design taking such an effect into account.