CeO2-modified Cu electrode for efficient CO2 electroreduction to multi-carbon products

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to value-added fuels offers a promising method to solve increasingly serious environmental problems and alleviate energy crisis. Herein, we report a facile method by coating Cu electrode with CeO 2 nanoparticles to largely enhance the C 2+ products selectivity during CO 2 electroreduction. The Faradaic efficiency of C 2+ products for optimal CeO 2 -coated Cu electrode reached a high value of 61 % at -1.05 V vs RHE, and exhibited good stability for over 9 h of CO 2 electrolysis. The CeO 2 nanoparticles were found to induce oxidative corrosion of the Cu foil, leading to a CuO x layer in contact with the CeO 2 nanoparticles. The interface between CeO 2 nanoparticles and oxide-derived Cu might be attributed to the enhanced catalytic activity for C 2+ products by promoting the C C coupling process.