Ionic Liquid-Modified Catalyst for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction: Design, Regulation and Application.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an abundant C1 resource, and its electrochemical conversion enables the integration of CO2 fixation with renewable energy storage, thereby providing an effective approach to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle. As a new class of green and tunable solvents, ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional electrolytes in electrochemical CO2 conversion processes. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of ILs as electrocatalyst components for CO2 electroreduction. Particular emphasis is placed on how IL components, electrocatalyst properties, and operational conditions affect catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability. The intrinsic mechanisms underlying the enhanced CO2 conversion performance achieved by IL-modified catalysts are analyzed, which provides valuable guidance for the rational design of novel IL-based electrochemical CO2 conversion processes. Finally, the critical challenges currently faced in this research field are highlighted, and potential directions for future investigations are proposed.