The CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) driven by renewable electricity represents a promising strategy toward alleviating the energy shortage and environmental crisis facing humankind. Cu species, as one type of versatile electrocatalyst for the CO2RR, attract tremendous research interest. However, for C2 products, ethanol formation is commonly less favored over Cu electrocatalysts. Herein, AuCu alloy nanoparticle embedded Cu submicrocone arrays (AuCu/Cu‐SCA) are constructed as an active, selective, and robust electrocatalyst for the CO2RR. Enhanced selectivity for EtOH is gained, whose Faradaic efficiency (FE) reaches 29 ± 4%, while ethylene formation is relatively inhibited (16 ± 4%) in KHCO3 aqueous solution. The ratio between partial current densities of EtOH and C2H4 (jEtOH/jC2H4) can be tuned in the range from 0.15 ± 0.27 to 1.81 ± 0.55 by varying the Au content of the electrocatalysts. The combined experimental and theoretical calculation results identify the importance of Au in modifying binding energies of key intermediates, such as CH2CHO*, CH3CHO*, and CH3CH2O*, which consequently modify the activity and selectivity (jEtOH/jC2H4) for the CO2RR. Moreover, AuCu/Cu‐SCA also shows high durability with both the current density and FEEtOH being largely maintained for 24 h electrocatalysis.
Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to value-added multicarbon products, which can be used as fuels or indirectly as fuel precursors, is a promising approach to reduce CO 2 levels and mitigate the energy crisis. However, poor product selectivity is still a major obstacle in the development of CO 2 reduction. Here, Cu 3 N-derived Cu nanowires, with a high density of grain boundaries, are synthesized and demonstrated as an efficient electrocatalyst for electrochemical reduction CO 2 to C2 products. The as-prepared catalyst exhibits excellent activity and selectivity for the production of C2 products, with a maximum faradaic efficiency of 86 % at À 1.0 V, and long-term stability throughout 28 h of electrolysis.
We developed a novel biomass carbon-templated route to synthesize stepped surface-rich Cu fiber felt as an efficient and stable electrocatalyst for the CO2RR to formate, whose FE reaches 71.1 ± 3.1% in KHCO3 solution.
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