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Recent progress in electrochemical reduction of CO2 into formate and C2 compounds

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Abstract

Global warming and climate change enhanced by the high atmospheric CO2 concentration have been correlated to the frequency of extreme weather causing a significant amount of property damage and loss of human lives. Among current atmospheric CO2 concentration control strategies, the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (eCO2R) process is a promising technology that can utilize CO2 gas as a feedstock to produce valuable C1 and C2 compounds at room temperature. Since the eCO2R reaction is limited by high activation energy and mass transfer, the choice of the electrocatalyst and the configuration of the CO2 electrolyzer have a significant impact on the activity and selectivity of the eCO2R process. This review discusses current technological advancements of electrocatalytic materials and the design of the gas diffusion electrodes that increase energy efficiency and reduce the mass transfer resistance of the CO2 conversion into C1 with a focus on formate and C2 chemical compounds. A techno-economic analysis is briefly provided, and future and technical challenges of the CO2 conversion at the industrial scale into formate and C2 products are also addressed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the O.H. Reaugh Laboratory at Washington State University for its financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Wegner Hall Room 105, 1505, NE Stadium Way, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA

    Wei Jyun Wang & Su Ha

  2. Chemistry Department and Materials Science and Engineering Program, Washington State University, PO Box 644630, Pullman, WA, 99164-4630, USA

    Louis Scudiero

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  1. Wei Jyun Wang
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Correspondence to Louis Scudiero or Su Ha.

Additional information

Louis Scudiero obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Physics in 1993 and 1995 from Washington State University where in 2002 he received his Ph.D. degree in Materials Science. He joined Washington State University in 2003 where he is currently a career track professor in the department of Chemistry and in the Materials Science and Engineering Program. His field of expertise is material characterization using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. He has published in diverse research areas from developing materials for solar cells, air filtering, Li-ion batteries and fuel cells. His research is currently focused on nanomaterials for alternative energy such as electrochemical CO2 reduction, direct formic acid and hydrogen fuel cells.

Su Ha obtained B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the North Carolina State University in 2000. He received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He joined Washington State University in 2005 and is currently a professor in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at Washington State University. He is also a director for its O.H. Reaugh Laboratory for Oil and Gas Processing Research. He has published over 70 publications in the research areas of energy generations from alternative fuels. His researches have been cited over 5,500 times with an h-index of 30. In 2014, he was named as Highly Cited Researcher by Thomson Reuters.

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Wang, W.J., Scudiero, L. & Ha, S. Recent progress in electrochemical reduction of CO2 into formate and C2 compounds. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 39, 461–474 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-021-1009-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-021-1009-8

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