MXene-based nanocomposite for electrocatalytic reduction of CO2: Experimental and theoretical results

[Display omitted] •The various strategies to improve the MXene-based nanocomposites in CO2RR have been discussed.•The key properties of catalytic enhancement and strategies to control catalysts properties were reviewed.•The application of MXene-based nanocomposites catalyst for CO2RR was highlighted.•The remaining obstacle and future direction were formulated. The increase of atmospheric CO2 concentrations is a critical issue that has to be immediately resolved due to its negative impact, especially on global warming and climate change. Currently, converting CO2 toward other valuable molecules has been subjected to enforce the zero emissions target in 2050 and build a sustainable energy process. From the advanced materials design aspect, MXenes are expected to be outstanding materials to support the several catalytic processes in CO2 reduction due to their large surface area, conductivity, abundant active site, and high stability. This review focuses on the recent developments of MXene-based nanocomposite materials for reducing CO2 through the electrocatalytic process. Notably, several products could be generated from this process, i.e., CO, HCOOH, CH4, and CH3OH. Various strategy to improve the MXene performance in CO2 reduction has also been encompassed, i.e., the anchored of metal, metal oxide, and single-atom catalysts. The key properties, characteristics, applications, and plausible mechanisms for various catalysts have also been discussed. Moreover, the outlook for further development was highlighted in the last section.