Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to useful fuel: recent advances and prospects

The continuous combustion of conventional fossil fuels leads to undesirable environmental consequences. Increasing CO2 emissions and depletion of fossil fuels are two major concerns in today’s society. To combat these problems, we need to find an alternative source of energy that meet the current demands and at the same time has minimal effect on the environment. Electrochemical reduction of CO2 (ERCO2) provides a two-way solution as it results in a net decrease in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by capturing CO2 from the surroundings and converting it into fuels that can be used to source energy. This review presents the recent trends in the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to generate green fuel with an emphasis on reactor configurations, electrocatalysts, and solid polymer electrolytes. The influence of various functionalized catalysts and surface structures on ERCO2 is reviewed. Finally, the future perspectives on the progress of electrochemical reduction of CO2 will be presented.