Recent progress in structural modulation of metal nanomaterials for electrocatalytic CO ₂ reduction

Abstract

Abstract The electrochemical CO 2 reduction (ECR) into value‐added products presents an appealing approach to mitigate CO 2 emission caused by excess consumption of fossil fuels. To obtain high catalytic activity and selectivity toward target product in ECR, designing and developing a stable and efficient electrocatalyst is of significant importance. To date, metal nanomaterials have been widely applied as electrocatalysts for ECR due to their unique physicochemical properties. The structural modulation of metal nanomaterials is an attractive strategy to improve the catalytic performance. In this review, the recent progress of structural modulation, including size, facet, grain boundary, composition, interface, ligand modification, and crystal phase, is systematically summarized from both theoretical and experimental aspects. Finally, the opportunities and perspectives of structural modulation of metal nanomaterials for ECR are proposed.