Interfacial electric field effect on electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) powered by renewable electricity offers an appealing way to achieve carbon neutrality by converting CO2 back into value-added chemicals and fuels. However, this reaction still faces severe problems of high overpotential or poor selectivity toward one specific product due to the slow kinetics and diverse reaction pathways. It is known that the interfacial electric field is the essential driving force of an electrochemical reaction. Herein, we review the recent progress of interfacial electric field effects on the electrochemical CO2RR. First, the classic interfacial electric double layer structure is introduced. Then several critical aspects, such as cation, morphology, and additive, that can affect the interfacial electric field are systematically discussed. Finally, we summarize the recent advances and provide some personal perspectives for this emerging research direction. It is believed that this work will stimulate new understanding of the interfacial electric field effect on electrochemical CO2RR and beyond.