Boosting C₂₊ Alcohols Selectivity and Activity in High‐Current CO Electroreduction using Synergistic Cu/Zn Co‐Catalysts

Abstract

The electrosynthesis of multi‐carbon (C2+) alcohols, specifically ethanol and n‐propanol through CO electroreduction (CORR) in H2O, presents a sustainable pathway for intermittent renewable energy storage and a low‐carbon economy. However, achieving high selectivity for alcohol production at industrial current densities is kinetically hampered by side reactions such as ethylene generation and hydrogen evolution reaction, which result from competing adsorption of *CO and *H. In this study, we developed a Cu/Zn alloy catalyst to simultaneously enhance the activity and selectivity for alcohol production by increasing CO capture capacity and enriching active hydrogen on Cu sites. Our findings demonstrate that the Cu/5Zn alloy with a molar ratio of Cu to Zn of 95:5 exhibits a Faradaic efficiency of 50% for the selective electrosynthesis of C2+ alcohols during ampere‐level CO electrolysis. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the Cu/Zn alloy promotes polarized Cu sites, enhancing CO adsorption while facilitating the spillover of hydrogen atoms from Zn to Cu sites, contributing to selective alcohol formation.