Recent Advances in Interface Engineering for Electrocatalytic CO(2) Reduction Reaction

Electrocatalytic CO(2) reduction reaction (CO(2)RR) can store and transform the intermittent renewable energy in the form of chemical energy for industrial production of chemicals and fuels, which can dramatically reduce CO(2) emission and contribute to carbon-neutral cycle. Efficient electrocatalytic reduction of chemically inert CO(2) is challenging from thermodynamic and kinetic points of view. Therefore, low-cost, highly efficient, and readily available electrocatalysts have been the focus for promoting the conversion of CO(2). Very recently, interface engineering has been considered as a highly effective strategy to modulate the electrocatalytic performance through electronic and/or structural modulation, regulations of electron/proton/mass/intermediates, and the control of local reactant concentration, thereby achieving desirable reaction pathway, inhibiting competing hydrogen generation, breaking binding-energy scaling relations of intermediates, and promoting CO(2) mass transfer. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of current developments in interface engineering for CO(2)RR from both a theoretical and experimental standpoint, involving interfaces between metal and metal, metal and metal oxide, metal and nonmetal, metal oxide and metal oxide, organic molecules and inorganic materials, electrode and electrolyte, molecular catalysts and electrode, etc. Finally, the opportunities and challenges of interface engineering for CO(2)RR are proposed. [Image: see text]