[1] CO2RR can produce diverse compounds including formate (HCOO−), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), ethylene (C2H4), and ethanol (C2H5OH).
The techno-economic analysis was recently conducted to assess the key technical gaps and commercial potentials of the carbon dioxide electrolysis technology at near ambient conditions.
[9] While the techno-economics of these systems are not yet feasible, they provide a near net carbon neutral pathway to produce commodity chemicals like ethylene at industrially relavant scales.
Some anaerobic organisms employ enzymes to convert CO2 to carbon monoxide, from which fatty acids can be made.
[11] In industry, a few products are made from CO2, including urea, salicylic acid, methanol, and certain inorganic and organic carbonates.
[2] Electrochemical methods have gained significant attention: The electrochemical reduction or electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 can produce value-added chemicals such methane, ethylene, ethanol, etc., and the products are mainly dependent on the selected catalysts and operating potentials (applying reduction voltage).
[28] Electrocatalysts selective for one particular organic compound include tin or bismuth for formate and silver or gold for carbon monoxide.
[35] Catalysts that promote Formic Acid production from CO2 operate by strongly binding to both oxygen atoms of CO2, allowing protons to attack the central carbon.