Design of naturally derived lead phytate as an electrocatalyst for highly efficient CO2 reduction to formic acid

Abstract

Utilization of naturally occurring resources to design electrocatalysts for CO₂ transformation is environmentally and economically compelling. Herein, we describe the first work on the utilization of naturally occurring phytic acid (PhyA) as the building block to prepare lead phytate (Pb-PhyA) as an electrocatalyst for CO₂ electro-reduction to HCOOH. The prepared Pb-PhyA exhibited excellent performance in an ionic liquid based catholyte, and the faradaic efficiency of HCOOH could reach 92.7% at a high current density (30.5 mA cm⁻²) in a ternary electrolyte consisting of [Bzmim]BF₄ (12.8 wt%), H₂O (9.9 wt%) and acetonitrile.