Ionic Liquid-Modified Catalyst for Electrocatalytic CO₂ Reduction: Design, Regulation and Application.

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is an abundant C₁ resource, and its electrochemical conversion enables the integration of CO₂ fixation with renewable energy storage, thereby providing an effective approach to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle. As a new class of green and tunable solvents, ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional electrolytes in electrochemical CO₂ conversion processes. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of ILs as electrocatalyst components for CO₂ electroreduction. Particular emphasis is placed on how IL components, electrocatalyst properties, and operational conditions affect catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability. The intrinsic mechanisms underlying the enhanced CO₂ conversion performance achieved by IL-modified catalysts are analyzed, which provides valuable guidance for the rational design of novel IL-based electrochemical CO₂ conversion processes. Finally, the critical challenges currently faced in this research field are highlighted, and potential directions for future investigations are proposed.