Tip carbon encapsulation customizes cationic enrichment and valence stabilization for low K+ acidic CO2 electroreduction

Zhitong Wang, Dongyu Liu, Chenfeng Xia (), Xiaodong Shi, Yansong Zhou, Qiuwen Liu, Jiangtao Huang, Haiyan Wu, Deyu Zhu, Shuyu Zhang, Jing Li, Peilin Deng, Andrey S. Vasenko, Bao Yu Xia () and Xinlong Tian ()
Additional contact information
Zhitong Wang: Hainan University
Dongyu Liu: HSE University
Chenfeng Xia: 1037 Luoyu Rd
Xiaodong Shi: Hainan University
Yansong Zhou: Fudan University
Qiuwen Liu: Central South University
Jiangtao Huang: Central South University
Haiyan Wu: Hainan University
Deyu Zhu: 1037 Luoyu Rd
Shuyu Zhang: Fudan University
Jing Li: Hainan University
Peilin Deng: Hainan University
Andrey S. Vasenko: HSE University
Bao Yu Xia: 1037 Luoyu Rd
Xinlong Tian: Hainan University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Acidic electrochemical CO2 conversion is a promising alternative to overcome the low CO2 utilization. However, over-reliance on highly concentrated K+ to inhibit the hydrogen evolution reaction also causes (bi)carbonate precipitation to interfere with catalytic performance. In this work, under the screening and guidance of computational simulations, we present a carbon coated tip-like In2O3 electrocatalyst for stable and efficient acidic CO2 conversion to synthesize formic acid (HCOOH) with low K+ concentration. The carbon layer protects the oxidized In species with higher intrinsic activity from reductive corrosion, and also peripherally formulates a tip-induced electric field to regulate the adverse H+ attraction and desirable K+ enrichment. In an acidic electrolyte at pH 0.94, only 0.1 M low K+ is required to achieve a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 98.9% at 300 mA cm−2 for HCOOH and a long-time stability of over100 h. By up-scaling the electrode into a 25 cm2 electrolyzer setup, a total current of 7 A is recorded to sustain a durable HCOOH production of 291.6 mmol L−1 h−1.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56977-6

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