Sn-Decorated Cu/Cu2O Electrodes Enable Selective CO2 Reduction to Formic Acid under Realistic Flue Gas Streams.

LEITE, A.; DIAS, E. H.; AWOTOYE, D.; ARANSIOLA, E.; AMMAR, M.; PEREIRA, E. C.; RIBEIRO, C.; BALTRUSAITIS, J.

Sn-Decorated Cu/Cu2O Electrodes Enable Selective CO2 Reduction to Formic Acid under Realistic Flue Gas Streams.

Autores

Descripción

Theelectrochemical reductionofCO2 is typically investigatedunderpureCO2 feeds,butpracticaldeploymentmust addressmorecomplexanddilutesourcessuchasfluegases.Here, we studied Cu/Cu2O electrodes decorated with tin (Sn) synthesizedusing a scalable electrodepositionmethodandpost treatments under both pureCO2 and reactive nitrogen oxide containingsimulatedfluegas, towardformicacidsynthesis.Raman spectroscopyandAtomicForceMicroscopyanalysesrevealedthat flue gas exposure induces heterogeneous restructuring of the electrodewith surface roughening, surface carbonate formation, andlocalizedredepositionprocesses.Optimalcatalystperformance underpureCO2wasachievedwithintermediateSncoverageof3 minelectrodeposition, deliveringFaradaic efficiencies of 80%andproduction rates of 370μmol cm−2 h−1. Sn-modifiedCu2O electrodes alsoexhibitedhigh selectivity toward formic acidunder acidic gas containing simulatedflue gas, reachingFaradaic efficienciesof90%albeitatproductionratesof113μmolcm−2h−1,despitea10-foldreducedCO2partialpressure.Theseresults demonstratethat interfacialSn−CustructuresenabledselectiveCO2RRevenunderchallengingfeedconditions,pointingoutboth theopportunitiesandlimitationsof translatinglaboratory-scalecatalysts torealisticgasstreams.