Synergized Cu/Pb Core/Shell Electrocatalyst for High-Efficiency CO2 Reduction to C2+ Liquids

The design of efficient copper-based (Cu-based) carbon dioxide reduction (CO2 RR) electrocatalysts is crucial for converting CO2 to value-added liquid products. In this work, we demonstrate that the strong synergy between Cu core and ultrathin lead (Pb) shell (0.7 nm) in the Cu/Pb core/shell nanocrystals (NCs, CuPb-0.7/C) significantly boosts the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 toward C2+ products (products with at least two carbon atoms). Specifically, when applying in a flow cell system, the Faradaic efficiency (FE) of total C2+ products and the selectivity of C2+ liquid products are as high as 81.640 and -19.590, respectively. Moreover, the current density of C2+ liquid products reaches 196.8 mA cm(-2), outperforming most of the reported Cu-based catalysts for CO2 RR toward the production of C2+ liquid products. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the synergized Cu/Pb core/shell NCs reduce the formation energies of *COOH and *OCCOH intermediates, as the two critical intermediates for the reduction of CO2 to CO and the formation of C2+ products, respectively, and leads to the significant increase in the selectivity of C-2(+) liquid products. This study provides a efficient Cu-based catalyst for the reduction of CO2, highlighting the importance of synergistic effect for the design of electrocatalysts in catalysis.

Automated summary

The synergistic effect between Cu core and ultrathin Pb shell in Cu/Pb core/shell nanocrystals significantly enhances the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 toward C2+ liquid products, leading to higher Faradaic efficiency and selectivity. This study highlights the importance of synergistic effect in the design of efficient Cu-based catalysts for CO2 reduction.