In Situ Tracking of Dynamic Reconstruction and Residual Element Effects of Copper Salt-Derived Catalysts in...

Electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR), which enables the directional conversion of CO₂ into high-value-added fuels and chemicals, has emerged as a highly promising cutting-edge approach to mitigating fossil fuel consumption and curbing carbon emissions. Copper (Cu)-based catalysts have been extensively studied in the CO₂RR, yet the in situ reconstruction mechanism of the catalysts remains an overlooked critical aspect. In this study, we employed diverse metal salt precursors to synthesize CuO catalysts, aiming to investigate the influence of residual elements on the surface reconstruction of catalysts during the CO₂RR. Furthermore, with the aid of in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the key intermediates in the CH₄ formation pathway (*CH₂O) and the characteristic intermediate in the C₂H₄ generation pathway (*OCCHO) were successfully captured, thereby elucidating the impact of residual elements on the CO₂RR pathways. This study provides in-depth insights into catalyst surface reconstruction and offers effective strategies for the design of CO₂RR catalysts.