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Highly selective electrochemical CO2 reduction to formate using Sn@Cu electrocatalyst

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Abstract

The strategy of obtaining value-added products from electrochemical reduction of CO2 is promising and advantageous over other conventional methods. The present work uses an electrodeposition method to prepare electro-decorated Sn on Cu foam. The physicochemical and morphology analyses were studied using XRD, XPS, and FESEM. The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 of the prepared electrocatalyst was successfully demonstrated in 0.5-M KHCO3 electrolyte in two different cell designs—a conventional H-type cell and an improved cell design by the two parallel-connected electrodes. The formate product formed during CO2 reduction was identified using NMR, and the faradaic efficiency at different potentials was calculated. The prepared electro-decorated Sn@Cu foam electrode displayed exceptional stability under CO2 reduction conditions over a period of 20-h duration in a conventional method. We extended our work for continuous CO2 electroreduction with parallel-connected electrodes to obtain formate at ambient temperature and pressure. The parallel mode was adopted to maximize the active sites so as to achieve maximum product concentration. The formate concentration of 6.12 g L−1 was achieved with electro-decorated Sn@Cu foam electrode on continuous CO2 reduction in a batch mode setup. The proposed approach of producing formate via batch mode CO2 reactor at a larger scale would open vistas for the industrialization (scale-up) of the process.

Graphical abstract

The present work is focused on the preparation of electro-decorated Sn@Cu foam using electrodeposition methods. Electroreduction of CO2 was carried out using the tin on Cu electrocatalyst. We observed the selective formation of formate. With the improved cell design, we can achieve the formate concentration of 6.12 g L−1 on 20 h of continuous CO2 electrolysis.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge CSIR, New Delhi, India, for funding through Catalysis for Sustainable Development (HCP0009). We also recognize the Central Instrumental Facility, CSIR-CECRI, for their support. CSIR-CECRI manuscript reference number: CECRI/PESVC/Pubs/2022-025.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Manickam Anbu Kulandainathan

    Present address: Electro-Organic & Materials Electrochemistry Division, CSIR - Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, 630 003, India

  2. Murugesan Gomathi

    Present address: Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrochemical Process Engineering Division, CSIR - Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, 630 003, India

    Aarthi Pandiarajan, Murugesan Gomathi & Subbiah Ravichandran

  2. Electro-Organic & Materials Electrochemistry Division, CSIR - Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, 630 003, India

    Kumaravelu Pavithra & Sakkarapalayam Murugesan Senthil Kumar

  3. Electroplating and Metal Finishing Division, CSIR - Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, 630 003, India

    Ramachandran Sekar

  4. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India

    Aarthi Pandiarajan, Sakkarapalayam Murugesan Senthil Kumar & Subbiah Ravichandran

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  1. Aarthi Pandiarajan
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Contributions

SR conceived the idea and planned the research work; RS made electrocatalytic material; SMS and MA and KP performed the initial analysis of catalyst; PA characterized and analyzed and performed the electrochemical experiments; MG assisted the continuous cell operation; PA and SR wrote the manuscript. KP and SMS reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Subbiah Ravichandran.

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This work is dedicated to Manickam Anbu Kulandainathan (1964–2021).

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Pandiarajan, A., Sekar, R., Pavithra, K. et al. Highly selective electrochemical CO2 reduction to formate using Sn@Cu electrocatalyst. J Appl Electrochem 53, 1033–1042 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-022-01815-6

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