Editorial on CO2 Reduction via Electrochemistry

Abstract

In electrochemistry, different metal-containing catalysts are employed to improve the rates of the half-reactions that create the fuel cell, notably in fuel cell engineering. Platinum nanoparticles are supported by somewhat bigger carbon particles in one type of fuel cell electrocatalyst. While in contact with one of the electrodes of a fuel cell, this platinum accelerates the depletion of oxygen in liquids, hydroxide, or hydrogen peroxide.

Homogeneous catalysts function in the same step as the reactants. Homogeneous catalysts and substrates are often dissolved in a solvent. One example of homogeneous catalysis is the influence of H⁺ on the esterification of carboxylic acids, such as the production of methyl acetate from acetic acid and methanol. High-volume processes employing a homogeneous catalyst are involved in hydroformylation, hydrosilylation and hydrocyanation. Organometallic catalysts are also known as homogeneous catalysis by inorganic chemists. Certain homogeneous catalysts, such as cobalt salts that catalyse the oxidation of p-xylene to terephthalic acid, are not organometallic.

Detailed spectroscopic studies of molecular electrocatalysts have enabled several design techniques for the creation of current practical electrolysis systems to decrease carbon dioxide. Reaction processes can be controlled by carefully selecting Lewis or Bronsted acids and monitoring a range of factors influencing the chemical environment or synthetic alteration that regulates interactions between metals, including non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding.

The proton-coupled reduction of CO₂ to CO or formic acid, utilising transition-metal complexes as catalysts in either electrocatalytic or photocatalytic processes, is one method for converting CO₂ into fuels or fuel precursors. While various molecular catalysts have been studied throughout the years, many of them are based on costly precious metals. However, a growing family of pre-catalysts based on the abundant metal manganese, originally with the generic formula [Mn(-diimine)(CO)₃L]⁺/0, but now expanded to include non—diimine ligands, has recently emerged as a promising, less expensive alternative to the extensively researched Rebased analogues. We describe the present mechanistic knowledge of Mn-based CO₂ reduction pre-catalysts using both computational modelling and experimental methodologies in this study. We also discuss how overpotential and turnover frequency are utilised to appropriately establish catalytic figures of merit. Finally, we have summarised the major findings in Mnbased catalyst-driven CO₂ reduction, including exciting new developments involving molecular catalyst immobilisation on solid supports or electrodes, as well as their use in photoelectrochemical CO₂ reduction, where solar energy is used to overcome the demanding electrochemical overpotential.

IR Spectro electrochemistry has proved to be a useful tool for studying electrocatalyst chemical characteristics at catalytically relevant potentials and deciphering the intermediates between the catalyst's precursor and active states. Anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, mostly from fossil fuel burning, are causing climate change at an unprecedented rate. Our present emphasis on fossil fuels has sparked interest in carbon dioxide collection and catalytic reduction to liquid fuels. Electrochemical carbon dioxide removal has been extensively researched during the previous decade. Any important advances to this field during the last decade that have used Group VII transition metal bipyridine catalysts are covered here. To improve our mechanistic knowledge of electrocatalytic CO₂ to CO reduction, strategies are defined.