Investigation of Structural Evolution of SnO2 Nanosheets towards Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction

In-depth understanding of the catalytic active sites is of paramount importance for the design of efficient electrocatalysts for CO2 conversion. Here we highlight the structural evolution of SnO2 nanosheets for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. The transformation of SnO2 into metallic Sn would occur on the surface of catalyst during the catalytic process, followed by enhanced selectivity and activity for the conversion of CO2 to HCOOH. Electrocatalytic characterization and structural analysis demonstrate that the metallic Sn derived from structural evolution plays a dominant role in the CO2 reduction to HCOOH. This work deepens the understanding of the catalytic mechanism and provides a new pathway for the rational design of advanced electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction.