Fabrication of Cu (1 0 0) facet-enhanced ionic liquid/copper hybrid catalysis via one-step electro-codeposition for CO2ER toward C2

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 (CO 2 ER) to high value-added multicarbon (C 2+ ) is a viable way to promote carbon–neutral cycle. To date, copper (Cu) is reported as the most effective metal catalyst toward C 2+ , but it remains a challenge to achieve high selectivity and large current density. Incorporating ionic liquid in Cu-based catalysis has been proved an effective strategy, however, most reported methods are either involved too much ionic liquid (IL) as electrolyte or too complex & unstable. Herein, an ionic liquid-embedded Cu electrocatalyst (Cu-IL/GDL) was innovatively constructed through one-step electro-codeposition method, in which a kind of amino-ionic liquid, AFIL, was anchored to the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and embedded by the deposited Cu. Under the excellent synergy between Cu and AFIL, Cu-IL/GDL exhibits higher faradaic efficiency toward ethylene (C 2 H 4, 40.67%) and C 2 (C 2 H 4 and C 2 H 5 OH, 61.39%) when directing CO 2 to carbon-fiber side of electrode in H-cell. To be precise, more Cu (1   0   0) facet is stabilized by the capping effect of AFIL, being in favor for C–C coupling; meanwhile more AFIL + is embedded by the deposited Cu, making for the initiation of CO 2 ER. Thus, this paper proposes a facial and effective strategy to reinforce Cu (1   0   0) facet, and couple and heighten the virtues of ionic liquid and Cu during CO 2 ER toward C 2 .