Fabrication of Ag2S electrode for CO2 reduction in organic media

• Published in: Ionics Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 1921 - 1927
• Main Authors: Shen, Feng-xia, Shi, Jin, Shi, Feng, Chen, Tian-you, Li, Yun-fei, Li, Qing-yuan, Dai, Yong-nian, Yang, Bin, Qu, Tao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Carbon dioxide; Carbon monoxide; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Current density; Electrochemistry; Electrode materials; Electrodes; Electrolysis; Electron microscopes; Energy Storage; Low currents; Metal foils; Optical and Electronic Materials; Organic chemistry; Original Paper; Oxidation; Propylene; Reduction; Renewable and Green Energy; Surface roughness; X-ray diffraction; S electrode; Organic electrolyte; electro-reduction; CO; Ag
• ISSN: 0947-7047; 1862-0760
• DOI: 10.1007/s11581-018-2728-7

Electro-reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to carbon monoxide (CO) has been extensively studied on metal and alloy electrodes for many decades. However, owing to their disadvantages of low current density and high over-potential, the practical application of these electrodes has been limited. Hence, it is highly desirable to explore new and high efficient electrode for CO 2 reduction to CO. Ag 2 S has been widely studied as electrode material in electrochemistry due to its unique properties, such as high conductivity, chemical stability, and easy to be prepared. In this work, we have fabricated an Ag 2 S electrode via electro-oxidation of Ag in aqueous solution. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) confirm that Ag 2 S has been modified on Ag foil, which made the electrode surface roughness. And then, we have evaluated the performance of Ag 2 S electrode as the cathode for CO 2 reduction in propylene carbonate/tetrabutylammonium perchlorate. The cathodic current density reaches to 9.85 mA/cm 2 , with the faradic efficiency for CO formation remaining stable at 92% during 4 h long-term electrolysis.