HPSR-AME-CO2RR · Combining catalyst design and electrode reconstruction for industry compatible CO2 electrolysis

Anthropogenic CO2 emission is anticipated to contribute to a projected global temperature increase of 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052, which is associated with various environmental challenges. While renewable energy sources and electrification have successfully reduced CO2 emissions in some sectors, air transportation without available electrified alternatives and sectors like steel and cement production that inherently involve carbon oxidation in operations must proactively take measures to mitigate their carbon footprint. This entails a combination of adopting renewable fuels and employing CO2 conversion techniques. In the short to intermediate term, the renewable-powered electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR) for carbon monoxide production offers a techno-economically feasible approach. Despite extensive research efforts in this field, achieving economically compelling eCO2RR implementation has proven elusive. The primary challenges stem from catalyst performance and electrode durability. Regarding catalysts, maintaining high selectivity under commercially relevant conditions is imperative. On the electrode front, enhancing both chemical and mechanical strength is essential to reduce capital expenditure. To comprehensively address these challenges and with the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the objective of this project is to integrate electrocatalyst design (focused on improving eCO2RR selectivity and activity) with electrode reconstruction efforts (aimed at overcoming flooding issues and enhancing the stability of the reaction interface). This integrated approach seeks to facilitate the practical implementation of eCO2RR. Furthermore, a deep understanding of the structure-activity relationship will be attained through in-situ spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. The assessment of this novel strategy within this project's scope has the potential to guide the more rational development of practical eCO2RR implementation.