Recent engineering strategies for enhancing C2+ product formation in copper-catalyzed CO2 electroreduction

The conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into hydrocarbons through electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (eCO₂RR) shows a promising method to reduce CO₂ levels and decrease reliance on fossil fuels in the years to come. Copper-based electrocatalysts exhibit a pronounced inclination for C–C coupling, drawing considerable interest as a favored metal catalyst for generating C₂₊ products through CO₂RR. However, CO₂RR still has some obstacles including product selectivity, higher overpotential, low Faradic efficiency (FE), stability, and current density (CD). Therefore, advancement in this field enables us to comprehend the complex multi-proton electron transfer during C–C coupling and engineering strategies to improve FE and CD. Herein, this review presents some key features of Cu-based catalysts as an electrocatalyst for C₂ product formation while addressing the industrial challenges that hinder commercialization of CO₂RR. In addition, recent strategies on Cu-based catalysts, synthesis strategies, advanced characterizations, and mechanistic investigations via theoretical simulations have been presented. Furthermore, recent approaches towards the composition, oxidation states, and active facets have been presented. Thus, the most favorable mechanism and possible pathways to synthesize C₂₊ products have been explained using theoretical calculations.