Research Progress of Dual-Site Tandem Catalysts in the Preparation of Multi Carbon Products by Electro Reduction of CO₂

The era of an energy economy driven by “carbon neutrality” is putting forward stricter requirements for the use of carbon resources and the governance of CO₂. Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide reaction (CO₂RR), driven by renewable energy, is a practical energy storage technology with broad application prospects. It can reduce CO₂ into carbon-based fuels and chemical products. Among them, multi-carbon (C₂₊) products have higher energy density and larger market size, and can significantly reduce the global demand for fossil fuels and close the artificial carbon cycle. Introducing additional active sites into Cu-based catalysts to prepare dual-site tandem catalysts can regulate the electronic and geometric structure of the catalysts, break linear scale relationships, reduce reaction potential barriers, and bring superb and stable catalytic performance. Various types of dual-site tandem catalysts are developed, and the understanding of the tandem effect is pushed to a higher level. This paper reviews several typical dual-site tandem catalysts: atom–atom dual-site tandem catalysts, atom-particle dual-site tandem catalysts, particle–particle dual-site tandem catalysts, and heterogeneous interface dual-site tandem catalysts. It then deeply analyzes the reaction mechanism and research progress of these advanced catalysts in CO₂RR. In addition, the challenges and opportunities faced by such catalysts are also discussed.