Unlocking the potential of ZIF-based electrocatalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO₂: Recent advances, current trends, and machine learnings

The socio-economic advancements have led to the emergence of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, which have had a profound influence on ecosystems and climate change. This review focuses on CO₂ Electrochemical Reduction (CO₂-ECR), a new technology with significant potential for reducing CO₂ emissions through the optimal use of renewable resources. In recent years, there has been a concerted effort to develop catalysts that are both effective and efficient in order to improve the efficiency of CO₂-ECR for the production of desired products. Zeolitic imidazolidine frameworks (ZIFs) have gained significant attention in the field of CO₂-ECR due to their significant surface area and presence of active sites. ZIFs, which consist of imidazole organic linkers and a variety of metals, are tunable with respect to their electrochemical activity and properties, thereby affecting the selectivity of CO₂-ECR. This review elucidates ZIFs as CO₂-ECR electrocatalysts, encompassing ligand modifications, metal variations, and different reaction conditions, contributing to the quest for efficient solutions in mitigating CO₂ concentration and achieving carbon neutrality. Researchers have extensively studied operational conditions impacting these materials. Technology utilization further aids in explaining experimental observations. This review has significant potential for application in studying and fabrication of electrocatalytic ZIFs-based materials that are effective for academic and industrial research and development.