A Perspective on Electrochemical Point Source Utilization of CO and Other Flue Gas Components to Value Added Chemicals.

Electrochemical CO reduction reaction (eCORR) has been explored extensively for mitigation of noxious CO gas generating C and C hydrocarbons and oxygenates as value-added fuels and chemicals with remarkable selectivity. The source of CO being a pure CO feed, it does not fully satisfy the real-time digestion of industrial exhausts. Besides the detrimental effect of noxious gas mixture leading to global warming, there is a huge capital investment in purifying the flue gas mixtures from industries. The presence of other impurity gases affects the eCORR mechanism and its activity and selectivity toward C products dwindle drastically. Impurities like NO, SO, O, N, and halide ions present in flue gas mixture reduce the conversion and selectivity of eCORR significantly. Instead of wiping out these impurities via separation processes, new strategies from material chemistry and electrochemistry can open new avenues for turning foes to friends! In this perspective, the co-electroreduction will vividly discussed and supporting role of different heteroatom-containing impurity gases with CO, generating highly stable C─N, C─S, C─X bonds, and highlight the existing limitations and providing probable solutions for attaining further success in this field and translating this to industrial exhaust streams.