Progress and Perspectives of Pulse Electrolysis for Stable Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction

Electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction (ECR) to fuels and chemicals is a promising approach to address anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Over the past few years, ECR technology has advanced significantly, leading to the demonstration at both relatively large scale and with high efficiency. Specifically, both product selectivity and energy efficiency at high current densities are approaching the target for practical application. However, stability, a critical performance metric for ECR economics, is still far from the performance required for widespread application. In ECR, the cathode is most prone to degradation due to catalyst reconstruction, electrode flooding, salt formation, and impurity deposition. Pulse electrolysis has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate these degradation pathways and improve the stability of the ECR systems. In this review, we first discuss key ECR cathode degradation mechanisms. Next, we highlight the progress toward designing stable ECR systems using pulse electrolysis. We also assess the prospects and challenges of applying pulse electrolysis toward sustainable and industrial ECR applications.