Ultrasmall La2O3 Nanoparticles Supported on Cu2O/Copper Foam for CO2 Energization

Electrochemical CO2 energization represents a promising strategy to mitigate its emission and promote resourceful utilization. The production of alcohols offers a sustainable pathway for converting CO2 into value-added chemicals, which is often hindered by low selectivity and high overpotential. In this work, a class of ultrasmall La2O3 nanoparticle-modified Cu2O-based catalyst has been synthesized in situ on a copper foam substrate through a simple hydrothermal method. The optimized catalyst demonstrated a high ethanol Faradaic efficiency of 51.7% at −1.0 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE); simultaneously, syngas (CO/H2) was generated with Faradaic efficiencies of 28.27% for CO and 4.8% for H2. This product distribution characteristic enables efficient separation and utilization of both liquid (ethanol) and gaseous (syngas) products. This study highlights the pivotal role of rare earth elements in enhancing CO2RR efficiency by stabilizing reaction intermediates for facilitating C–C coupling. Furthermore, it presents a scalable and cost-effective approach for CO2 energization, paving the way for sustainable green energy production and carbon resource management.