Rational design strategies of Cu-based electrocatalysts for CO2 electroreduction to C2 products

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) to high value-added chemicals is an effective way to remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere. Due to the unique propensity of Cu for valuable hydrocarbons, Cu-based electrocatalysts are the most potential catalysts that allow the conversion of CO2 into a variety of C2 products such as ethylene and ethanol. Rational design of Cu-based catalysts can improve their directional selectivity to C2 products. Hence, in this review, we summarize the recent progress in the mechanistic studies of Cu-based catalysts on reducing CO2 to C2 products. We focus on three key strategies for efficiently enhancing electrocatalytic performance of Cu-based catalysts, including tuning electronic structure, surface structure, and coordination environment. The correlation between the structural characteristics of Cu-based catalysts and their activity and selectivity to C2 products is discussed. Finally, we discuss the challenges in the field of CO2 electroreduction to C2 products and provide the perspectives to design efficient Cu-based catalysts in the future.