Advances of Cobalt Phthalocyanine in Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to CO: a Mini Review

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to fuels powered by renewable electricity is a potential clean strategy to replace fossil fuels and address climate change caused by increasing CO2 emissions. In this work, the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction process was briefly introduced; the latest literature on the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to CO by cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) was summarized. The structure, catalytic activity, and improvement strategies of CoPc were analyzed in detail. Then, the possible mechanism for the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to CO was elucidated. Finally, the challenges and possible solutions of cobalt-based catalysts in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction were discussed. We believe it will serve as an up-to-date reference for the design of more efficient and stable cobalt-based catalysts for CO2 reduction, providing new insights and perspectives for further development of excellent catalytic materials.Graphical abstract