Electrochemical CO2 reduction to C2+ products over Cu/Zn intermetallic catalysts synthesized by electrodeposition

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR) offers an attractive approach to realizing carbon neutrality and producing valuable chemicals and fuels using CO2 as thefeedstock. However, the lack of cost-effective electroca-talysts with better performances has seriously hindered its application. Herein, a one-step co-electrode position method was used to introduce Zn, a metal with weak *CO binding energy, into Cu to form Cu/Zn intermetalliccatalysts (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/cm(2), respectively. Compared with the Cu catalyst, the Cu/Zn IMCs have a lower interfacialcharge transfer resistance and a larger electrochemicallyactive 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