1. School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Institute of Eco-Chongming, Shanghai 202162, China 2. Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China 3. School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Institute of Eco-Chongming, Shanghai 202162, China; Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR) offers an attractive approach to realizing carbon neutrality and producing valuable chemicals and fuels using CO2 as the feedstock. However, the lack of cost-effective electrocatalysts with better performances has seriously hindered its application. Herein, a one-step co-electrodeposition method was used to introduce Zn, a metal with weak *CO binding energy, into Cu to form Cu/Zn intermetallic catalysts (Cu/Zn IMCs). It was shown that, using an H-cell, the high Faradaic efficiency of C2+ hydrocarbons/alcohols () could be achieved in ECR by adjusting the surface metal components and the applied potential. In suitable conditions, FEC2+ and current density could be as high as 75% and 40 mA/cm2, respectively. Compared with the Cu catalyst, the Cu/Zn IMCs have a lower interfacial charge transfer resistance and a larger electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), which accelerate the reaction. Moreover, the *CO formed on Zn sites can move to Cu sites due to its weak binding with *CO, and thus enhance the C–C coupling on the Cu surface to form C2+ products.
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