MXenes and CO2: A pioneering journey towards sustainable electrochemical reduction

Abstract

The increasing levels of CO₂ emissions causing a serious environmental concern, demanding effective and sustainable solutions for its reduction. In traditional materials, MXenes, a class of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides are recognized as promising materials for electrochemical reduction. The exceptional properties of MXenes, make them perfect catalysts for CO₂ reduction with the higher catalytic activity and selectivity. At commercial scale, electrochemical reduction of CO₂ has a lot of importance due to synthesis of C₂ products in acidic media. A hybrid MXenes material (Cu₂O/Ti₃C₂T_x) was employed for the synthesis of propane at pH = 6.8 in the presence of KHCO₃ (0.1 M) with initial concentration of 2 mg at room temperature. Moreover, this study focuses on the reaction mechanism that has enhanced the catalytic efficiency of MXenes, including surface functionalization, doping of heteroatom and structural modifications. The finding of new synergistic effects in hybrid MXenes materials, demonstrating the significant potential for further development in MXenes-based catalysts for CO₂ electrochemical reduction.