Carbonaceous materials for electrochemical CO2 reduction

Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction converts CO2 into valuable chemical fuels, and has attracted quickly growing attention as a possible solution to mitigate the increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration and close the broken carbon cycle. Its practical viability relies on the rational design and development of active, selective and durable electrocatalyst materials, preferably composed of earth abundant ingredients. Among different candidates, carbonaceous materials are of particular interest due to their earth abundance and low cost. In this review article, we overview the recent progress, current status and possible future research direction of carbonaceous materials for electrochemical CO2 reduction. We start with fundamentals about electrochemical CO2 reduction. They are then followed by detailed discussion about the research progresses of heteroatom (e.g., N, P, B and F) doped carbons and metal-nitrogen-carbon (e.g. Co-N-C and Fe-N-C) type materials. At last, a short perspective is offered to highlight possible future research directions. With this review, we hope to provide our readers a comprehensive picture of this quickly developing field.