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Highly Selective CO2 Reduction to Pure Formic Acid Using a Nafion-TiO2 Composite Porous Solid Electrolyte
Yeomin Kang1, Kooyoung Jung1, Jusung Kim1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|October 13, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a new solid electrolyte for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) to formic acid. A Nafion-titanium dioxide composite achieved record efficiency and high productivity for sustainable chemical synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) is a sustainable method for producing fuels and chemicals.
- Solid-state electrolyte (SSE) systems offer a promising platform for high-purity liquid product synthesis.
- Conventional ion-exchange resins have limitations in CO2RR applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel Nafion-based porous solid electrolyte (NPSE) with tunable properties for CO2RR.
- To investigate the effect of structural tunability on CO2RR performance.
- To enhance formic acid selectivity and productivity using a Nafion-titanium dioxide composite NPSE (NPSE-TiO2).
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of Nafion-based porous solid electrolytes (NPSEs) with controlled thickness and porosity.
- Development of a Nafion-titanium dioxide (TiO2) composite NPSE (NPSE-TiO2).
- Electrochemical testing of NPSE-TiO2 for CO2RR, including Faradaic efficiency and partial current density measurements.
- Mechanistic studies using techniques to understand the role of TiO2 in the reaction.
Main Results:
- The structural tunability of NPSEs significantly impacts CO2RR performance.
- The NPSE-TiO2 composite demonstrated enhanced selectivity and productivity for formic acid production.
- Achieved a record-high Faradaic efficiency (FEHCOOH) of 98.6% for SSE systems.
- Obtained a high partial current density (jHCOOH) of 431.8 mA cm-2.
- Produced electrolyte-free formic acid with a single-pass concentration of 17.4 wt.%.
Conclusions:
- The developed NPSE-TiO2 is a highly efficient system for CO2RR to formic acid.
- TiO2 nanoparticles play a crucial role in promoting formate anion transport and stabilizing cathodic pH.
- This advancement offers a pathway towards efficient and sustainable production of formic acid.
