Construction of a bifunctional SnCo alloy electrode by one-step electrodeposition for electrocatalytic simultaneous production of formate from CO2 and glucose

Replacing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with small molecule oxidation coupled with CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) has become an effective strategy to reduce the energy demand of electrolyzers. However, the inconsistency of the cathode and anode products caused additional separation costs. Therefore, the selection of anodic paired-reactions capable of directing the same product is a key measure to solve the problem. At the same time, this poses a challenge for the design of bifunctional electrodes suitable for redox coupling systems. Herein, we established a coupled system in which the glucose oxidation reaction (GOR) is paired with the formate production via CO 2 RR, and for the first time, we have calculated its advantages through thermodynamic analysis. Additionally, a Sn 76.8 Co 23.2 electrode featuring crystalline Sn/amorphous SnCo heterointerfaces was prepared utilizing a revolutionary one-step in-situ electrodeposition method. It was demonstrated that the abundant two-phase interfaces optimized the redistribution of electrons, and that electrons transfer from Sn atoms to Co atoms to favor the adsorption of oxygen-containing intermediates, thereby improving the catalytic capability of Sn 76.8 Co 23.2 in the CO 2 RR, GOR semi-reaction, and CO 2 RR//GOR coupled system. This work provides invaluable insights into the matching of reactants and products for co-electrolysis systems, as well as a meaningful idea for the design of bifunctional electrocatalysts.