Engineering the Local Microenvironment over Bi Nanosheets for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Conversion of CO 2 to HCOOH in Strong Acid

The extensive deployment of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is presently limited by the utilization of alkaline/neutral electrolytes in which carbonate formation severely reduces the carbon efficiency and electrolysis stability. By contrast, the CO2RR in a strong acid electrolyte can overcome these shortcomings, yet the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) greatly outcompetes the CO2RR in acidic media. Herein, CO2 reduction to HCOOH, a significant chemical intermediate in many industrial processes, was realized in strong acid (pH ≤ 1) through introducing K+ cations into the electrolyte. The K+-assisted acidic CO2RR accordingly manufactured HCOOH with a high Faradaic efficiency of 92.2% @–1.23…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 22102052, U2032149
• MO
  Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China

  Award: 2021YFA1502000
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province

  Award: 2020JJ2001
• ST
  Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality

  Award: JCYJ20210324120800002