3D Hierarchical SnO2@Carbon Cloth for Selective Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to Formate

Electrochemcial reduction of CO 2 (CO 2 RR) into the industrial feedstocks and low carbon fuels could be a promising strategy to alleviate the excessive emission of CO 2 . In CO 2 RR, C1 products are more feasible due to their low electron transfer and relative fast kinetics. A flexible SnO 2 @CC catalyst electrode was synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method in alkaline condition and annealing in air at high temperature using CC as supporting material, SnCl 2 2H 2 O as SnO x precursor and sodium citrate as stabilizer. The electrocatalytic performance of catalytic electrode compared with that of traditional gas diffusion electrodes (GDE). Pure SnO 2 /GDE and commercial SnO 2 /GDE were prepared by traditional spraying technology. Among different GDEs, the 3D layered SnO 2 @CC catalyst electrode had more catalytic active sites and faster charge transfer rate, which resulted in higher electrocatalytic activity and formic acid selectivity. The maximum current density at -1.45 V vs. SHE is -46.4 mA cm -2 , and the Faraday efficiency for HCOO - is 73.4% at -1.3 V vs. SHE.