Advances in Sn-based oxide catalysts for the electroreduction of CO_(2) to formate

The excessive consumption of fossil fuels increases carbon dioxide(CO_(2))emissions,and the consequent greenhouse effect resulting from higher levels of this gas in the atmosphere has a significant impact on the environment and climate.This has necessitated the development of environmentally friendly and efficient methods for CO_(2)conversion.The carbon dioxide electroreduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),which is driven by electricity generated by renewable energy sources(e.g.,wind and solar)to convert CO_(2)into value-added fuels or chemicals,is regarded as a promising prospective path toward carbon cycling.Among the various products,formate,with its relatively simple preparation process,has broad application prospects,and can be used as fuel,hydrogen storage material,and raw material for downstream chemicals.Sn-based oxide electrocatalysts have the advantages of being inexpensive and nontoxic.In addition,these catalysts offer high product selectivity and are regarded as promising catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO_(2)to formate.In this review,we first clarify the reaction mechanisms and factors that influence the reduction of CO_(2)to formate,and then provide some examples of technologies that could be used to study the evolution of catalysts during the reaction.In particular,we focus on traditional Sn-based oxides(SnO_(2))and novel Sn-based perovskite oxides that have been developed for use in the field of CO_(2)RR in recent years by considering their synthesis,catalytic performance,optimization strategies,and intrinsic principles.Finally,the current challenges and opportunities for Sn-based oxide electrocatalysts are discussed.The perspectives and latest trends presented in this review are expected to inspire researchers to contribute more efforts toward comprehensively optimizing the performance of the CO_(2)RR to produce formate.