Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents for CO2 conversion technologies—a review

Abstract

Ionic liquids (ILs) have a wide range of potential uses in renewable energy, including CO2 capture and electrochemical conversion. With the goal of providing a critical overview of the pro-gression, new challenges, and prospects of ILs for evolving green renewable energy processes, this review emphasizes the significance of ILs as electrolytes and reaction media in two primary areas of interest: CO2 electroreduction and organic molecule electrosynthesis via CO2 transformation. Herein, we briefly summarize the most recent advances in the field, as well as approaches based on the electrochemical conversion of CO2 to industrially important compounds employing ILs as an electrolyte and/or reaction media. In addition, the review also discusses the advances made possible by deep eutectic solvents (DESs) in CO2 electroreduction to CO. Finally, the critical techno-commer-cial issues connected with employing ILs and DESs as an electrolyte or ILs as reaction media are reviewed, along with a future perspective on the path to rapid industrialization.