Tandem reactors and reactions for CO2 conversion

Carbon dioxide (CO2) valorization is a promising pathway for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the chemical sector and reducing the reliance of chemical manufacturing on fossil fuel feedstocks. This Perspective discusses tandem catalytic paradigms for sustainable CO2 conversion that have potential advantages over processes using single-functional catalysts. Recent progress is discussed for tandem catalysis using multifunctional catalysts in a single reactor, as well as tandem reactors involving multiple catalysts. Opportunities for further developing these tandem strategies for thermochemical and electrochemical processes in various configurations are presented to encourage research in this burgeoning field. Tandem catalysis and tandem reactors provide unique opportunities for sustainably converting CO2 into valuable products that are not accessible by traditional catalytic processes. This Perspective discusses progress in and opportunities for developing tandem catalytic process that involve various combinations of thermocatalysis, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, plasma catalysis and biocatalysis.