Nano-crumples induced Sn-Bi bimetallic interface pattern with moderate electron bank for highly efficient CO2 electroreduction

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 2486
• Main Authors: Ren, Bohua, Wen, Guobin, Gao, Rui, Luo, Dan, Zhang, Zhen, Qiu, Weibin, Ma, Qianyi, Wang, Xin, Cui, Yi, Ricardez–Sandoval, Luis, Yu, Aiping, Chen, Zhongwei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 05.05.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 119/118; 140/131; 140/133; 140/146; 147/135; 147/143; 147/3; 639/301/299/886; 639/638/161/886; 639/638/563/979; Adsorption; Alloys; Bimetals; Bismuth; Carbon dioxide; Carbon neutrality; Catalysts; Current density; Depletion; Design; Efficiency; Electrolysis; Electrowinning; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hybridization; Interfaces; Intermediates; multidisciplinary; Nanostructured materials; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Selectivity
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29861-w

CO 2 electroreduction reaction offers an attractive approach to global carbon neutrality. Industrial CO 2 electrolysis towards formate requires stepped-up current densities, which is limited by the difficulty of precisely reconciling the competing intermediates (COOH* and HCOO*). Herein, nano-crumples induced Sn-Bi bimetallic interface-rich materials are in situ designed by tailored electrodeposition under CO 2 electrolysis conditions, significantly expediting formate production. Compared with Sn-Bi bulk alloy and pure Sn, this Sn-Bi interface pattern delivers optimum upshift of Sn p-band center, accordingly the moderate valence electron depletion, which leads to weakened Sn-C hybridization of competing COOH* and suitable Sn-O hybridization of HCOO*. Superior partial current density up to 140 mA/cm 2 for formate is achieved. High Faradaic efficiency (>90%) is maintained at a wide potential window with a durability of 160 h. In this work, we elevate the interface design of highly active and stable materials for efficient CO 2 electroreduction. It is of high interests to design catalysts for CO2 electroreduction with enhanced selectivity and activity. Here, the authors report Sn-Bi bimetallic interface-rich material with enhanced performance for CO2 reduction to formate comparing to that of Sn-Bi bulk alloy.