Modulating microenvironments to enhance CO2 electroreduction performance

Abstract

Microenvironments of the catalytic center, which play a vital role in adjusting electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction reaction (ECO₂RR) activity, have received increasing attention during the past few years. However, controllable microenvironment construction and the effects of multi-microenvironment variations for improving ECO₂RR performance remain unclear. Herein, we summarize the representative strategies for tuning the catalyst and local microenvironments to enhance ECO₂RR selectivity and activity. The multifactor synergetic effects of microenvironment regulation for enhancing CO₂ accessibility, stabilizing key intermediates, and improving the performance of ECO₂RR catalysts are discussed in detail, as well as perspectives on the challenges when investigating ECO₂RR microenvironments. We anticipate that the discussions in this review will inspire further research in microenvironment engineering to accelerate the development of the ECO₂RR for practical application.