Promoting electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction to formate via sulfur-boosting water activation on indium surfaces.

ABSTRACT: Electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to fuels and chemicals is one of the most attractive routes for CO₂ utilization. Current catalysts suffer from low faradaic efficiency of a CO₂-reduction product at high current density (or reaction rate). Here, we report that a sulfur-doped indium catalyst exhibits high faradaic efficiency of formate (>85%) in a broad range of current density (25-100 mA cm^-2) for electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction in aqueous media. The formation rate of formate reaches 1449 μmol h^-1 cm^-2 with 93% faradaic efficiency, the highest value reported to date. Our studies suggest that sulfur accelerates CO₂ reduction by a unique mechanism. Sulfur enhances the activation of water, forming hydrogen

SUBMITTER: Ma W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6385284 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature