Electrochemical CO2 Reduction: Fundamentals and Existing Industrial Applications
摘要
It is a known fact that without involving the CO2 reduction process, it is not possible to realise the reliable “Practicable Artificial Photosynthesis (PAP)” process. The development of a suitable CO2 reduction process is very important from the point of view of two things: (i) to safely store the surplus and renewable energy in high-energy density liquid fuels to store for long periods of time (for few to several years period) so that these carbon–neutral fuels can be employed in the present existing energy distribution infrastructure, i.e., internal combustion (IC) engines in place of gasoline (petrol) and diesel so that there will not be any severe economical consequences while transforming from fossil fuel energy dependency to non-fossil fuel, renewable and solar energy, and (ii) to solve the CO2 associated global warming, climate change, and social cost of carbon problems. The energy storing capability of CO2 molecule is responsible for its involvement in the “natural photosynthesis (NP)” process. Nature has chosen both CO2 and water as energy storing materials owing to their capacity to store external energy in the products formed out of them. A suitable CO2 reduction reaction driven by electricity derived from sunlight can indeed change the global energy economy and energy dynamics of the world. In this chapter, all the fundamentals involved in the electrochemical reduction of CO2, and the various industries engaged in the utilization of CO2 as an energy storing material are meticulously presented and discussed along this chapter.