MXenes and MOFs for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2)

Abstract

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) represents a pivotal strategy for addressing climate change, and the integration of MXenes and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in this domain is garnering significant attention. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging roles of MXenes and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as advanced materials for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂. Recent advances highlight the synergistic integration of MXenes' exceptional electrical conductivity and MOFs' tunable porosity and active sites, leading to enhanced catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability. Innovative composite architectures, including heterojunctions and hybrid structures, have shown improved conversion efficiencies toward valuable products such as carbon monoxide and formic acid. Despite these promising developments, critical challenges remain in catalyst stability, durability, and scalability, alongside economic and environmental constraints related to complex synthesis methods and material costs. Future perspectives emphasize material design optimization through surface functionalization, machine learning-guided discovery, and environmentally benign scalable production, coupled with integration into renewable-powered electrolyzed systems. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the state-of-the-art MXene/MOF systems, identify bottlenecks, and outline research directions that facilitate the practical and sustainable implementation of electrochemical CO₂ conversion technologies. This work aims to guide the development of efficient, durable, and economically viable next-generation catalysts for carbon-neutral fuel and chemical production, contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts.