CHAPTER 16: Conversion of CO₂ into Energy-dense Chemicals and the Commercialization Using Two-dimensional Nanomaterials as Catalysts

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is an abundant source of carbon, and it is one of the main greenhouse gases, due to continuous enormous consumption of fossil fuel and extended industrial production. The accumulated CO₂, not only increases global warming but it has a direct effect on human health. CO₂ is highly stabile under ambient conditions, thus making it hard to use as a raw industrial material. A considerable amount of research has taken place exploring the ability to utilize CO₂ as source of carbon. Thermo-chemical, photoelectrochemical, photocatalytic, biochemical, electrochemical, and neutralization reaction techniques have been investigated. Electrochemical techniques with the assistance of nanomaterials are the most promising methods to reduce CO₂ into value-added chemicals and increase the conversion efficiency rate compared with other tested methods. 2D-nanomaterials can provide an extra reaction surface and increase the catalytic activity of the modified system. In this chapter (i) the principle of CO₂ in the future energy and global warming (ii) the essential chemical role of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials and reverse microbial fuel cell on the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ (ERC), and (iii) updated information about available commercial ERC of CO₂ will be discussed.