Iodide-derived nanostructured silver promotes selective and efficient carbon dioxide conversion into carbon monoxide

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing efficient electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is crucial for sustainable energy and chemical production.
• Silver-based catalysts are promising for CO2RR but often require optimization for selectivity and activity.
• Nanostructuring and surface modification can enhance catalyst performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a highly active and selective electrocatalyst for CO2RR.
• To investigate the performance of an iodide-derived nanostructured silver catalyst (ID-Ag) for CO2 electroreduction to CO.
• To understand the factors contributing to the enhanced catalytic performance.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of iodide-derived nanostructured silver (ID-Ag) catalyst.
• Electrochemical characterization of the catalyst for CO2 reduction.
• Operando analysis of product selectivity and Faradaic efficiency.

Main Results:

• The ID-Ag catalyst achieved approximately 94.5% selectivity for CO production from CO2 reduction.
• High catalytic activity was observed at a potential of -0.7 V in a CO2-saturated 0.5 M KHCO3 electrolyte.
• The nanostructured morphology and adsorbed iodide anions were identified as key factors for enhanced performance.

Conclusions:

• Iodide-derived nanostructured silver (ID-Ag) is an excellent electrocatalyst for selective CO2 to CO conversion.
• The catalyst's high electrochemical active surface area and the presence of adsorbed I- anions significantly boost CO2RR performance.
• This work offers a promising strategy for designing advanced silver-based electrocatalysts for CO2 utilization.