A phosphate-derived bismuth catalyst with abundant grain boundaries for efficient reduction of CO2 to HCOOH

Electroreduction of CO2 to HCOOH with high current densities and efficiencies remains a challenge. Herein, we developed a metallic Bi catalyst with abundant grain boundaries through the electrochemical transformation of BiPO4 nanorods to boost the catalytic performance of the electroreduction of CO2 to HCOOH. The phosphate-derived Bi catalyst (PD-Bi) achieved an FE of 91.9% for HCOOH at a high current density of -600.0 mA cm(-2). Mechanistic study revealed that the abundant grain boundaries within PD-Bi promoted the adsorption of CO2 and stabilization of the CO2- intermediate, resulting in facilitated CO2 activation and thus enhanced catalytic performance.

Automated summary

The metallic Bi catalyst PD-Bi, developed through electrochemical transformation, demonstrated high efficiency in electroreduction of CO2 to HCOOH at a high current density. The abundant grain boundaries within PD-Bi facilitated CO2 adsorption and stabilization of the CO2- intermediate, leading to enhanced catalytic performance.