Electrodeposition of tin on Nafion-bonded carbon black as an active catalyst layer for efficient electroreduction of CO₂ to formic acid.

ABSTRACT: Electroreduction of CO₂ to formic acid (ERCF) based on gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) has been considered as a promising method to convert CO₂ into value-added chemicals. However, current GDEs for ERCF suffer from low efficiency of electron transfer. In this work, a novel Sn-based gas diffusion electrode (ESGDE) is prepared by electrodepositing Sn on Nafion-bonded carbon black as catalyst layer to enhance electron transfer and thus the efficiency of ERCF. The highest Faraday efficiency (73.01 ± 3.42%), current density (34.21 ± 1.14 mA cm^-2) and production rate (1772.81 ± 59.08 μmol m^-2 s^-1) of formic acid are obtained by using the ESGDE with electrodeposition time of 90 s in 0.5 M KHCO₃ solution, which are one of the highest values obtained from Sn-based gas diffusion electrodes under similar conditions. The notable efficiency of ERCF achieved here should be attributed to the enhancement in the reactants transfer as well as the three-dimensional reaction zone. This work will be helpful for the industrial application of GDEs in EFCF.

SUBMITTER: Wang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5651907 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature