Science AI Journal
Energy · Research topic

Open research questions in CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts

263 gap statements mined from CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 4,040 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

Choosing where to publish on CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts? See the ranked Engineering journals.

What the literature leaves open

  • The active phase for CO production via the CO2 RR on Pd-based catalysts is unknown. The relationship between the Faradaic efficiency of CO and the hydride stoichiometry of in situ-generated PdHx is not well understood.

    In situ–generated PdH x promotes electrochemical CO 2 conversion to CO · 2026 · DOI

  • To this day, success in producing significant amounts of multicarbon products is limited to a single catalyst, copper, complicating optimization on the catalyst side.

    Electrocatalysts Beyond Copper for CO 2 Reduction to Multicarbon Products From Systematic First Principle‐Based Screening · 2026 · DOI

  • We conclude that the SERS signature, while it can be exceptionally useful, alone is insufficient to establish a rigorous, quantitative correlation between the surface coverage or density of species and the production rates of target products required for a clear structure-activity relationship.

    What can Raman spectroscopy really say about the adsorbed CO on roughened Cu electrodes in CO 2 electroreduction conditions? · 2026 · DOI

  • The electrochemical conversion of CO 2 into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using molten salt electrolysis is a promising route for carbon capture and utilization, yet the role of anode surface chemistry in governing CNT growth remains poorly understood.

    Anode Surface Engineering for Tunable Carbon Nanotube Growth via Integrated Carbon Capture and Conversion in Low‐Cost Molten Carbonates · 2026 · DOI

  • Although O, Cl, and Br axial coordination has been explored, fluorine coordination in Ni-based SACs remains unclear.

    An Axially Fluorine-Coordinated Ni Single-Atom Catalyst for Highly Efficient CO2 Electrocatalytic Reduction · 2026 · DOI

  • From the predictions of both the models, it is evident that CO‐producing catalysts could be further explored for the deeper reduction of CO 2 by the exploration of other conditions, which has not been explored thus far.

    Unveiling Catalytic Design Principles for C 2 Product Formation in CO 2 Electroreduction via Machine Learning · 2026 · DOI

  • Incorporating gold (Au) into copper (Cu)-based electrocatalysts effectively enhances the conversion of CO into multicarbon products, yet the fundamental role of Au remains elusive due to limited mechanistic insight.

    Deciphering the Role of Au in CO Reduction on Cu: From Atomic Sites to a Stabilized Proton-Transfer Interface · 2026 · DOI

  • While elevated pressures improve CO 2 R performance, differential pressure operation above 10 bar between cathode and anode remains underexplored.

    Differential pressure CO2 electrolysis opens the way for direct coupling to industrial processes · 2025 · DOI

  • Among the various strategies chemists are adopting from enzymatic active sites—particularly those involved in CO 2 activation, the role of electrostatic effects stands out as a promising yet underexplored area.

    Enhanced CO 2 Electroreduction Through Electrostatic Functionalization of Iron Porphyrin · 2025 · DOI

  • The hydrophilic porous membrane is sparse and nonpolar, which are features opposite to those seen in the anion-exchange membranes commonly used as the diaphragm in CO2 electrolysis cells.

    Development of High‐Performance Zero‐Gap Carbon Dioxide Electrolysis Cells Using a Hydrophilic Porous Membrane · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the precise reaction pathways toward CO and HCOOH remain unclear, and the competition between these pathways often leads to low product selectivity.

    Competing CO and HCOOH Pathways in CO2 Electroreduction · 2024 · DOI

  • Recent experiment revealed single Pd atom anchored on graphene exhibits high activity for CO2 electroreduction to syngas, yet the origin of activity and controllable CO/H2 ratios, especially the exact Pd coordination structure, remains elusive.

    Revealing the Origin of Graphene Anchored Single Palladium Atom for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction to Syngas with Tunable CO/H2 Ratios · 2024 · DOI

  • The need to enhance Faradaic efficiency to reduce energy consumption. The requirement for low-cost power and improved electrolyzer performance to decrease the total cost.

    Techno-Economic Assessment of Electrochemical CO2 Reduction to Ethylene: A Cu10–Sn Catalyst Case Study and Performance Targets · 2026 · DOI

  • However, how different types of Re elements affect the key C–C coupling steps remains unclear, and as a result, RE–Cu dual‐site catalysts often face challenges due to the lack of definitive design guidelines.

    CO Adsorption Energy Match at Dual Sites Drives C–C Coupling Activity in Rare Earth–Cu CO 2 Reduction Catalysts · 2026 · DOI

  • Electrochemical CO 2 reduction (eCO 2 RR) is increasingly capable of delivering downstream‐compatible carbon products, yet the interfacial origin of pathway selection remains insufficiently understood.

    Coordination‐Engineered Interfacial Pathway Partitioning for Electrocatalytic CO 2 Conversion and Downstream Upgrading · 2026 · DOI

  • The need to avoid exposing sites that favor methane or methanol at higher rates.

    Thermal and Photocatalytic Conversion of CO 2 to Ethanol: Advances in Catalyst Design, Challenges, and Opportunities · 2026 · DOI

  • Challenges remain in achieving high selectivity and kinetics in neutral electrolytes. The process is kinetically hindered by the high C=O bond energy (~806 kJ mol -1).

    Enhanced CO2 Electroreduction to CO in Neutral Electrolytes via Sn-Doped Copper Catalysts · 2026 · DOI

  • The electrosynthesis of methane is hindered by demanding multi-electron kinetics and mass-transport constraints. Prior studies have not established a clear structure-mass transfer-reactivity relationship for Cu TPEs.

    Highly Efficient Methane Electrosynthesis Enabled by Precise, Multifaceted Interface Regulation · 2026 · DOI

  • The need to stabilize the electrochemical environment and preserve the DSA anode during operation. The challenge of promoting selective bromide-mediated epoxidation. The importance of controlling the bromine speciation in the system.

    Bromide-mediated paired electrosynthesis of hydrogen and epoxide · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies on the scalability and stability of the In-BDC catalyst. Investigations into the application of In-MOFs for other electrochemical reduction reactions.

    Indium-based Metal Organic Frameworks (In-MOFs) for Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate · 2026 · DOI

  • Improving electrolyzer technology to enhance CO2 conversion rates, - Reducing electricity costs through the development and widespread adoption of renewable energy sources, - Enhancing the Faraday efficiency of the reduction…

    Techno-Economic Assessment of Electrochemical CO2 Reduction to Ethylene: A Cu10–Sn Catalyst Case Study and Performance Targets · 2026 · DOI

  • Achieving higher yields, improved selectivity, and long-term stability in renewable ethanol production from captured CO2 - Identifying key challenges and future directions for CO2-to-ethanol conversion - Developing catalysts with enhanced ethanol selectivity…

    Thermal and Photocatalytic Conversion of CO 2 to Ethanol: Advances in Catalyst Design, Challenges, and Opportunities · 2026 · DOI

  • The resulting catalyst delivers efficient alkaline HER and, importantly, sustains hydrogen evolution deep into the high‐current‐density regime with strong operational durability, addressing a key limitation of many PtNi‐based catalysts commonly evaluated only at low currents.

    One‐pot synthesis of PtNi /carbon composites derived from polytetrahydrofuran for bifunctional alkaline HER and ORR · 2026 · DOI

  • Further optimization of the interposer design and operating protocol, - Investigation of other ionomers and their effects on CO2 capture efficiency, - Scaling up the system for industrial…

    Electrochemical direct air capture by local alkalinity generation at three-dimensional interfaces · 2026 · DOI

  • Further investigation of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction using the optimized rGONafion-Cu-60 + 60 µL electrode. Exploration of the potential applications of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction in renewable energy conversion and storage systems.

    Nafion fluorine-modified rGO-modified Cu electrode for efficient electrocatalytic CO2 reduction · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts

Most recent work

Find a gap in your own CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts sub-topic

This page shows what the CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts literature already flags as unresolved. To narrow it to your specific question, search the Research Gap Finder: the search is free with a free account and lists the papers closest to your topic first. Unlocking that topic (50 credits, charged once) fills the comparison table from our 7.9M-paper local library and writes the gaps from its rows.

Open the Research Gap Finder →

Related topics in Energy

Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
743 open questions
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
711 open questions
Algal biology and biofuel production
629 open questions
Renewable energy and sustainable power systems
457 open questions
Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
365 open questions
Photovoltaic System Optimization Techniques
259 open questions
TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells
190 open questions
Geothermal Energy Systems and Applications
186 open questions
Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) The active phase for CO production via the CO2 RR on Pd-based catalysts is unknown (“In situ–generated PdH x promotes electrochemical CO 2 conversion to CO”, 2026); (2) Although O, Cl, and Br axial coordination has been explored, fluorine coordination in Ni-based SACs remains unclear (“An Axially Fluorine-Coordinated Ni Single-Atom Catalyst for Highly Efficient…”, 2026); (3) From the predictions of both the models, it is evident that CO‐producing catalysts could be further explored for the deeper reduction of CO 2 by the exploration of other conditions, which has not been explored thus far (“Unveiling Catalytic Design Principles for C 2 Product Formation in CO 2…”, 2026); (4) Incorporating gold (Au) into copper (Cu)-based electrocatalysts effectively enhances the conversion of CO into multicarbon products, yet the fundamental role of Au remains elusive due to limited mechanistic insight (“Deciphering the Role of Au in CO Reduction on Cu: From Atomic Sites to a…”, 2026); (5) How different types of Re elements affect the key C–C coupling steps remains unclear, and as a result, RE–Cu dual‐site catalysts often face challenges due to the lack of definitive design guidelines (“CO Adsorption Energy Match at Dual Sites Drives C–C Coupling Activity in Rare…”, 2026). 263 gap statements have been mined from CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 4,040 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

Tools for your next paper

Gaps & Literature SearchFind open questions in any field — 1,100,000+ open gaps mined from our own library.Pre-CheckIs your paper ready? Acceptance odds for top, mid and open/emerging journals, in seconds.Journal FinderA ranked shortlist of target journals from a 17,500-venue index.Duplicate Publication CheckerCheck for prior publication across 7 sources and our local library.Citation GeneratorFreeA DOI or title → APA, MLA, Vancouver, Chicago, BibTeX, RIS. No signup.Graphical Abstract MakerFreeTurn your findings into a colorblind-safe graphical abstract.

How Pre-Check worksHow AI Review works

Compare the category — Honest roundups of the AI research tools, ours listed alongside the alternatives.

Command palette

Jump anywhere, run any action.