Hierarchical Mesoporous SnO2 Nanosheets on Carbon Cloth: A Robust and Flexible Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction with High Efficiency and Selectivity

作者：Fengwang Li, Lu Chen, Gregory P. Knowles, Douglas Robert MacFarlane, Jie Zhang · 发表于：Angewandte Chemie International Edition · 年份：2016 · DOI：10.1002/anie.201608279 · 被引用次数：634 · 研究领域：CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts、Ionic liquids properties and applications、Advanced battery technologies research

Abstract Electrochemical reduction of CO2 into liquid fuels is a promising approach to achieve a carbon‐neutral energy cycle. However, conventional electrocatalysts usually suffer from low energy efficiency and poor selectivity and stability. A 3D hierarchical structure composed of mesoporous SnO2 nanosheets on carbon cloth is proposed to efficiently and selectively electroreduce CO2 to formate in aqueous media. The electrode is fabricated by a facile combination of hydrothermal reaction and calcination. It exhibits an unprecedented partial current density of about 45 mA cm−2 at a moderate overpotential (0.88 V) with high faradaic efficiency (87±2 %), which is even larger than most gas diffusion electrodes. Additionally, the electrode also demonstrates flexibility and long‐term stability. The superior performance is attributed to the robust and highly porous hierarchical structure, which provides a large surface area and facilitates charge and mass transfer.