Efficient electroreduction of CO(2) to C(2+) products on CeO(2) modified CuO

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO(2) into multicarbon (C(2+)) products powered by renewable electricity offers one promising method for CO(2) utilization and promotes the storage of renewable energy under an ambient environment. However, there is still a dilemma in the manufacture of valuable C(2+) products between balancing selectivity and activity. In this work, cerium oxides were combined with CuO (CeO(2)/CuO) and showed an outstanding catalytic performance for C(2+) products. The faradaic efficiency of the C(2+) products could reach 75.2% with a current density of 1.21 A cm(−2). In situ experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that the interface between CeO(2) and Cu and the subsurface Cu(2)O coexisted in CeO(2)/CuO during CO(2)RR and two competing pathways for C–C coupling were promoted separately, of which hydrogenation of *CO to *CHO is energetically favoured. In addition, the introduction of CeO(2) also enhanced water activation, which could accelerate the formation rate of *CHO. Thus, the selectivity and activity for C(2+) products over CeO(2)/CuO can be improved simultaneously.