Surface Structure Engineering of PdAg Alloys with Boosted CO2 Electrochemical Reduction Performance

Converting carbon dioxide into high-value-added formic acid as a basic raw material for the chemical industry via an electrochemical process under ambient conditions not only alleviates greenhouse gas effects but also contributes to effective carbon cycles. Unfortunately, the most commonly used Pd-based catalysts can be easily poisoned by the in situ formed minor byproduct CO during the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CRR) process. Herein, we report a facile method to synthesize highly uniformed PdAg alloys with tunable morphologies and electrocatalytic performance via a simple liquid synthesis approach. By tuning the molar ratio of the Ag+ and Pd2+ precursors, the morphologies, composition, and electrocatalytic activities of the obtained materials were well-regulated, which was characterized by TEM, XPS, XRD, as well as electrocatalytic measurements. The CRR results showed that the as-obtained Pd3Ag exhibited the highest performance among the five samples, with a faradic efficient (FE) of 96% for formic acid at -0.2 V (vs. reference hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and superior stability without current density decrease. The enhanced ability to adsorb and activate CO2 molecules, higher resistance to CO, and a faster electronic transfer speed resulting from the alloyed PdAg nanostructure worked together to make great contributions to the improvement of the CRR performance. These findings may provide a new feasible route toward the rational design and synthesis of alloy catalysts with high stability and selectivity for clean energy storage and conversion in the future.

Automated summary

This study reports a simple liquid synthesis approach to synthesize highly uniformed PdAg alloys with tunable morphologies and electrocatalytic performance. By modulating the composition of the alloy, the efficiency and stability of the CO2 reduction reaction can be improved. This finding provides a new pathway for the rational design and synthesis of high-stability alloy catalysts for clean energy storage and conversion.