Reactive carbon capture using electrochemical reactors.

The electrolytic upgrading of CO presents a promising strategy to mitigate global CO emissions while generating valuable carbon-based products such as carbon monoxide, formate, and ethylene. However, the adoption of industrial-scale CO electrolyzers is hindered by the high energy and capital costs associated with the purification and pressurization of captured CO prior to electrolysis. One promising solution is "reactive carbon capture," which involves the electrolytic conversion of the eluent from CO capture units, or the "reactive carbon solution," directly into valuable products. This approach circumvents the energy-intensive processes required for electrolyzers fed with gaseous CO. This Tutorial Review highlights recent advances for reactive carbon capture, showcasing its potential as a scalable solution for electrolyzers that upgrade CO into fuels and products.