China Nonferrous Metallurgy

Driven by energy transformation and carbon neutrality, Li-CO₂ batteries have become a frontier energy storage technology due to their high energy storage efficiency and CO₂ utilization potential. However, their development is limited by the high decomposition energy barrier and slow reaction kinetics of the discharge product Li₂CO₃. In order to promote the development of high-performance Li-CO₂ batteries, researchers are committed to exploring cathode catalyst design strategies, aiming to improve catalyst performance and thereby enhance the reversibility and kinetics of the CO₂ reduction reaction and CO₂ evolution reaction. This paper reviews the latest research progress on transition metal-based catalysts for Li-CO₂ batteries and discusses how improving the activity of catalytic sites and increasing the density of catalytic sites through catalyst composition and structure design play a key role. On the one hand, through defect engineering, bimetallic, alloying, and heterogeneous interface construction, the activity of catalytic sites can be improved, the electronic properties of catalysts optimized, and the adsorption and activation capabilities for reactants and intermediates enhanced, thereby regulating the reaction pathway and inhibiting side reactions. On the other hand, with the help of porous structure design, single-atom catalysts, and crystal plane regulation, the density and utilization efficiency of active sites are significantly increased, mass transfer and charge transfer channels optimized, and the morphology distribution of discharge products improved. Future research should focus on elucidating the catalyst's influence mechanism on the battery reaction pathway, realizing pathway regulation, establishing theoretical foundations for the precise design of high-performance and highly reversible Li-CO₂ cathode catalysts, and promoting their practical application.