Ultrathin Dendritic Pd-Ag Nanoplates for Efficient and Durable Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO₂ to Formate

CO₂ reduction reactions (CO₂ RR) powered by renewable electricity can directly convert CO₂ to hydrocarbons and fix the sustainable but intermittent energy (e. g., sunlight, wind, etc.) in stable and portable chemical fuels. Advanced catalysts boosting CO₂ RR with high activity, selectivity, and durability at low overpotentials are of great importance but still elusive. Here, we report that the ultrathin Pd-Ag dendritic nanoplates (PdAg DNPs) exhibited boosted activity, selectivity, and stability for producing formate from CO₂ at a very low overpotential in aqueous solutions under ambient conditions. As a result, the PdAg DNPs exhibited a Faradaic efficiency (FE) for formate of 91% and a cathodic energy efficiency (EE) of ∼90% at the potential of -0.2 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (vs. RHE), showing significantly enhanced durability as compared with pure Pd catalysts. Our strategy represents a rational catalyst design by engineering the surface geometrical and electronic structures of metal nanocrystals and may find more applicability in future electrocatalysis.