Rational Design of a Hierarchical Tin Dendrite Electrode for Efficient Electrochemical Reduction of CO2. Issue 18 (27th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Won, Da Hye; Choi, Chang Hyuck; Chung, Jaehoon; Chung, Min Wook; Kim, Eun‐Hee; Woo, Seong Ihl
• Is Part Of: ChemSusChem. Volume 8:Issue 18(2015:Sep.)
• Page Start: 3092
• Page End: 3098
• Publication Date: 2015-07-27
• Subjects: Green chemistry -- Periodicals; Sustainable engineering -- Periodicals; Chemistry -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; 660
• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201500694
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1864-5631

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Catalysis is a key technology for the synthesis of renewable fuels through electrochemical reduction of CO₂. However, successful CO₂ reduction still suffers from the lack of affordable catalyst design and understanding the factors governing catalysis. Herein, we demonstrate that the CO₂ conversion selectivity on Sn (or SnO_{<italic>x</italic>}/Sn) electrodes is correlated to the native oxygen content at the subsurface. Electrochemical analyses show that the reduced Sn electrode with abundant oxygen species effectively stabilizes a CO₂^.− intermediate rather than the clean Sn surface, and consequently results in enhanced formate production in the CO₂ reduction. Based on this design strategy, a hierarchical Sn dendrite electrode with high oxygen content, consisting of a multi‐branched conifer‐like structure with an enlarged surface area, was synthesized. The electrode exhibits a superior formate production rate (228.6 μmol h⁻¹ cm⁻²) at −1.36 V_RHE without any considerable catalytic degradation over 18 h of operation.</p> </abstract>