From Pollution to Value: Electrochemical Systems for Transforming Flue Gas into Chemicals and Fuels

Electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) can enable the production of fuels and chemicals from CO₂ emissions. Direct flue gas conversion can address the emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, including cement, steel, and power generation industries. Such integration with SCO₂RR can also decarbonize the petrochemical industry and eliminate separation and purification steps. Here, recent progress and emerging opportunities for transformative flue-gas-tolerant systems for producing fuels and chemicals are reviewed. The review begins by analyzing recent progress in direct flue gas conversion and highlighting emerging micro-reaction environment features. Next, performance degradation mechanisms associated with flue gas conversion in CO₂RR systems are discussed. Following this, the bicarbonate reduction reaction (BRR) and CO₂RR from amine-based capture as emerging strategies for high-rate, selective, and stable electrosynthesis of chemicals from feeds containing low CO₂ concentrations are highlighted. Finally, the mitigation of flue gas impurities such as oxygen, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides, is discussed, and perspectives for emerging opportunities are shared.