Bimetallic Electrocatalysts for CO Reduction

The increasing concentration of CO in the atmosphere has caused various environmental issues. Utilizing CO as the carbon feedstock to replace traditional fossil sources in commodity chemical production is a potential solution to reduce CO emissions. Electrochemical reduction of CO has attracted much attention because it not only converts CO into a variety of useful chemicals under mild reaction conditions, but also can be powered by renewable electricity at remote locations. From this review article, we summarize recent literature on the topic of bimetallic electrocatalysts for CO reduction. Both selectivity and activity of bimetallic catalysts strongly depend on their compositions and surface structures. Tuning the properties of a bimetallic catalyst could result in a wide range of products, including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, carboxylate and liquid oxygenates. By reviewing recent research efforts in the field of bimetallic electrocatalysts for CO reduction, we aim to provide the community with a timely overview of the current status of bimetallic CO electrocatalysts and to stimulate new ideas to design better catalysts for more efficient CO electrolysis processes.