Electrodeposition of tin on Nafion-bonded carbon black as an active catalyst layer for efficient electroreduction of CO2 to formic acid. Issue 1 (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Qinian; Wang, Xinqi; Wu, Chao; Cheng, Yuanyuan; Sun, Qingye; Dong, Heng; Yu, Hongbing
• Is Part Of: Scientific reports. Volume 7:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 11
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Natural history -- Research -- Periodicals; Biology -- Research -- Periodicals; Physical sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 502.85
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14233-y
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-2322

Abstract

Abstract Electroreduction of CO2 to formic acid (ERCF) based on gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) has been considered as a promising method to convert CO2 into value-added chemicals. However, current GDEs for ERCF suffer from low efficiency of electron transfer. In this work, a novel Sn-based gas diffusion electrode (ESGDE) is prepared by electrodepositing Sn on Nafion-bonded carbon black as catalyst layer to enhance electron transfer and thus the efficiency of ERCF. The highest Faraday efficiency (73.01 ± 3.42%), current density (34.21 ± 1.14 mA cm−2 ) and production rate (1772.81 ± 59.08 μmol m−2 s−1 ) of formic acid are obtained by using the ESGDE with electrodeposition time of 90 s in 0.5 M KHCO3 solution, which are one of the highest values obtained from Sn-based gas diffusion electrodes under similar conditions. The notable efficiency of ERCF achieved here should be attributed to the enhancement in the reactants transfer as well as the three-dimensional reaction zone. This work will be helpful for the industrial application of GDEs in EFCF.