Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
07:36
Versatile CO2 Transformations into Complex Products: A One-pot Two-step Strategy
Published on: November 9, 2019
8.3K
Designing Synergistic Lewis Acid-Base Pairs in Compressed Bismuth-Copper Oxide for Selective CO2-to-Formate
Yi Cheng1, Lijuan Yang1, Xiaoli Zhao2
1Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|December 18, 2025
Summary
Researchers engineered lattice strain in electrocatalysts to boost carbon dioxide reduction to formate. This breakthrough enhances catalyst stability and current density for sustainable carbon utilization.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction (CO2RR) to formate is vital for carbon utilization but limited by catalyst performance.
- Lattice strain engineering can improve catalytic activity, but mechanistic understanding is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a definitive intrinsic structure-activity relationship in electrocatalysts by engineering lattice strain.
- To elucidate the molecular-level mechanism of CO2RR enhancement through strain modulation.
Main Methods:
- Precise engineering of lattice strain in an atomically integrated catalytic system.
- Combined experimental and theoretical investigations to analyze electronic structure and reaction mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Compressive strain modulates Cu d-orbital electronic structure and oxygen vacancy states.
- Enhanced Lewis acid-base pair cooperation facilitates CO2 adsorption, activation, and intermediate stabilization.
- Achieved high formate Faradaic efficiency (>95%) over a wide current density range, reaching 96.1% at -576.8 mA cm-2.
Conclusions:
- Established a clear link between compressive lattice strain and enhanced CO2RR activity.
- Elucidated the synergistic Lewis acid-base catalytic mechanism at the molecular level.
- Provided universal design principles for efficient formate electro-synthesis.
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