B-Cu-Zn Gas Diffusion Electrodes for CO2 Electroreduction to C2+ Products at High Current Densities

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2021 Apr 12;60(16):9135-9141. doi: 10.1002/anie.202016898. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Abstract

Electroreduction of CO2 to multi-carbon products has attracted considerable attention as it provides an avenue to high-density renewable energy storage. However, the selectivity and stability under high current densities are rarely reported. Herein, B-doped Cu (B-Cu) and B-Cu-Zn gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) were developed for highly selective and stable CO2 conversion to C2+ products at industrially relevant current densities. The B-Cu GDE exhibited a high Faradaic efficiency of 79 % for C2+ products formation at a current density of -200 mA cm-2 and a potential of -0.45 V vs. RHE. The long-term stability for C2+ formation was substantially improved by incorporating an optimal amount of Zn. Operando Raman spectra confirm the retained Cu+ species under CO2 reduction conditions and the lower overpotential for *OCO formation upon incorporation of Zn, which lead to the excellent conversion of CO2 to C2+ products on B-Cu-Zn GDEs.

Keywords: B-doped Cu; CO2 electroreduction; Zn nanosheet; gas diffusion electrode; multi-carbon products.