Theoretically Designed Cu<sub>10</sub>Sn<sub>3</sub>‐Cu‐SnO<i><sub>x</sub></i> as Three‐Component Electrocatalyst for Efficient and Tunable CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Syngas
Abebe Reda Woldu, Karim Harrath, Zanling Huang, Xiaoming Wang, Xiao‐Chun Huang, Didier Astruc, Liangsheng Hu
Abstract
Abstract Electrocatalytic transformation of CO 2 to various syngas compositions is an exceedingly attractive approach to carbon‐neutral recycling. Meanwhile, the achievement of selectivity, stability, and tunability of product ratios using single‐component electrocatalysts is challenging. Herein, the theoretically‐assisted design of the triple‐component nanocomposite electrocatalyst Cu 10 Sn 3 ‐Cu‐SnO x that addresses this challenge is presented. It is shown that Cu 10 Sn 3 is a valuable electrocatalyst for suitable CO 2 reduction to CO, SnO 2 for CO 2 reduction to formate at large overpotentials, and that the Cu–SnO 2 interface facilitates H 2 evolution. Accordingly, the interaction between the three functional components affords tunable CO/H 2 ratios, from 1:2 to 2:1, of the produced syngas by controlling the applied potentials and relative contents of functional components. The syngas generation is selective (Faradaic efficiency, FE = 100%) at relatively lower cathodic potentials, whereas formate is the only liquid product detected at relatively higher cathodic potentials. The theoretically guided design approach therefore provides a new opportunity to boost the selectivity and stability of CO 2 reduction to tunable syngas.