Heteroatoms Induce Localization of the Electric Field and Promote a Wide Potential-Window Selectivity Towards CO in the CO2 Electroreduction

Carbon dioxide electroreduction (CO2RR) is a sustainable way of producing carbon-neutral fuels. Product selectivity in CO2RR is regulated by the adsorption energy of reaction-intermediates. Here, we employ differential phase contrast-scanning transmission electron microscopy (DPC-STEM) to demonstrate that Sn heteroatoms on a Ag catalyst generate very strong and atomically localized electric fields. In situ attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) results verified that the localized electric field enhances the adsorption of *COOH, thus favoring the production of CO during CO2RR. The Ag/Sn catalyst exhibits an approximately 100 % CO selectivity at a very wide range of potentials (from -0.5 to -1.1 V, versus reversible hydrogen electrode), and with a remarkably high energy efficiency (EE) of 76.1 %.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that the electric field generated by Sn heteroatoms on the Ag/Sn catalyst enhances the adsorption of *COOH, favoring the production of CO during CO2RR process.