A review of non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts for CO2 electroreduction

The excessive emission of CO2 has caused many environmental issues and is severely threatening the eco-system. CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2RR) that driven by sustainable power is an ideal route for realizing the net reduction of CO2 and carbon recycle. Developing efficient electrocatalysts with low cost and high performance is critical for the wide applications of CO2RR electrolysis. Among the various explored CO2RR catalysts, non-noble metal (NNM)-based nanomaterials have drawn increasing attentions due to the remarkable performance and low cost. In this mini-review, the recent advances of NNM-based CO2RR catalysts are summarized, and the catalysts are classified based on their corresponding reduction products. The preparation strategies for engineering the electrocatalysts are introduced, and the relevant CO2RR mechanisms are discussed in detail. Finally, the current challenges in CO2RR research are presented, and some perspectives are proposed for the future development of CO2RR technology. This mini-review introduces the recent advances and frontiers of NNM-based CO2RR catalysts, which should shed light on the further exploration of efficient CO2RR electrocatalysts.