Surface-reconstructed Cu electrode via a facile electrochemical anodization-reduction process for low overpotential CO<inf>2</inf> reduction

Abstract

A high-surface-area Cu electrode, fabricated by a simple electrochemical anodization-reduction method, exhibits high activity and selectivity for CO reduction at low overpotential in 0.1 M KHCO solution. A faradaic efficiency of 37% for HCOOH and 27% for CO production was achieved with the current density of 1.5 mA cm at −0.64 V vs. RHE, much higher than that of polycrystalline Cu. The enhanced catalytic performance is a result of the formation of the high electrochemical active surface area and high density of preferred low-index facets. 2 3 −2