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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Direct electrochemical conversion of bicarbonate solution to formate over a Bi2O3-derived catalyst under flue gas
Lan-Hui Feng1, Chun-Qing Yin1, Hongzhi Wang2
1Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China. liyan2024@sdu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Direct electrochemical conversion of captured CO2 offers a promising route for sustainable carbon utilization, yet the impact of flue gas impurities and the underlying conversion mechanism remain poorly understood. Here, we report an efficient system for converting aqueous bicarbonate solution, a common form of captured CO2, into formate using a Bi2O3-derived catalyst. Importantly, common flue gas impurities, including N2, O2, SO2, and NO, do not affect the bicarbonate-to-formate conversion, maintaining a faradaic efficiency of approximately 60% across various gas compositions. We further reveal that metallic bismuth, formed in situ from Bi2O3, serves as the catalytically active species, converting CO2 generated from bicarbonate into formate.
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