Selective exposure of (1 1 1) crystal plane in Pd49Ag30Te4 by Tb doping to weaken Pd − C bond and promote electroreduction of CO2 to CO

Employing electric energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into valuable small molecules is a potentially practical method in energy storage and greenhouse gas alleviation. A huge challenge for electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction is to reduce overpotential to improve energy efficiency. Herein, we demonstrate that doping alloy Pd 49 Ag 30 Te 4 (PAT) with rare-earth element Tb is beneficial for selective exposure of (1   1   1) crystal plane, which is a highly active crystal plane for producing carbon monoxide (CO). The as-prepared Tb 2.9 PAT exhibited high electrocatalytic performance with 95.7 % CO faradic efficiency at − 0.8 V (vs RHE), far exceeding that of PAT, and coupled with good durability. In situ spectral study and theoretical calculations disclose that the introduction of Tb regulates the d-band center of PAT alloy, weakens the Pd − C bonding ability, and promotes the desorption of *CO in the rate-determining step. This study provides a method for doping induced selective exposure of crystal face, which provides new idea for improving catalytic performance.