Tuning Metal Catalyst with Metal-C3N4 Interaction for Efficient CO2 Electroreduction

Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) has attracted significant interest in the storage of renewable solar energy and mitigation of environmental issues. Here, we report a strategy to tune metal electrocatalyst by means of metal-substrate interactions to boost CO2RR process. It was found that carbon nitride (C3N4) supported Au nanoparticles (Au/C3N4) exhibit a better performance than carbon-supported Au nanoparticles (Au/C). The combined experimental and theoretical results evidence that Au-C3N4 interaction induces the formation of negatively charged Au surface, which could stabilize the key intermediate *COOH. Similar enhanced CO2RR performance is also observed on C3N4 supported Ag nanoparticles (Ag/C3N4), demonstrating the universality of this strategy for enhancing CO2RR.