One-step electrodeposition of binder-containing Cu nanocube catalyst layers for carbon dioxide reduction

• Published in: Nanoscale Vol. 15; no. 41; pp. 16734 - 1674
• Main Authors: Serf z, Andrea, Csík, Gábor András, Kormányos, Attila, Balog, Ádám, Janáky, Csaba, Endr di, Balázs
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 26.10.2023
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Binders (materials); Carbon; Carbon dioxide; Catalysts; Chemical composition; Chemical reduction; Continuous flow; Copper; Diffusion electrodes; Diffusion layers; Electrodeposition; Electrolytic cells; Gaseous diffusion; Substrates; Three dimensional printing
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/d3nr03834c

To reach industrially relevant current densities in the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, this process must be performed in continuous-flow electrolyzer cells, applying gas diffusion electrodes. Beyond the chemical composition of the catalyst, both its morphology and the overall structure of the catalyst layer are decisive in terms of reaction rate and product selectivity. We present an electrodeposition method for preparing coherent copper nanocube catalyst layers on hydrophobic carbon paper, hence forming gas diffusion electrodes with high coverage in a single step. This was enabled by the appropriate wetting of the carbon paper (controlled by the composition of the electrodeposition solution) and the use of a custom-designed 3D-printed electrolyzer cell, which allowed the deposition of copper nanocubes selectively on the microporous side of the carbon paper substrate. Furthermore, a polymeric binder (Capstone ST-110) was successfully incorporated into the catalyst layer during electrodeposition. The high electrode coverage and the binder content together result in an increased ethylene production rate during CO 2 reduction, compared to catalyst layers prepared from simple aqueous solutions. Fine-tuning the electrodeposition conditions allows to from homogeneous catalyst coatings on hydrophobic gas diffusion layers. A polymeric binder can be incorporated in the catalyst layer in the same step, further increasing the CO2RR selectivity.