Recent advances in microenvironment engineering for electrocatalytic upgrading of biomass derivatives

Converting biomass derivatives into value-added chemicals through electrocatalysis has gained widespread recognition as a sustainable approach for chemical production. In addition to conventional catalyst design strategies, it has been demonstrated that manipulating the microenvironment at the electrode-electrolyte interface significantly influences catalytic performance. Recently, various innovative strategies, including surface modification, electrolyte engineering, electrolysis with pulsed potential, electrocatalyst nano-structuring, and reactor engineering, have exhibited great potential in regulating the microenvironment and enhancing catalytic performance. However, a comprehensive review on recent advancements in this crucial field is currently lacking. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the latest representative works in this area while thoroughly discussing some representative studies to offer insights into the mechanisms behind microenvironment engineering strategies. Lastly, perspectives and challenges encountered by this burgeoning field are shared.