Investigating the effects of pyridine and poly(4-vinylpyridine) on CO2 reduction electrocatalysis at gold electrodes using in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroelectrochemistry

Abstract

The CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) at metal electrodes is altered in the presence of pyridine and related species. Thick films of poly(4-vinylpyridine) on Au electrodes result in large current enhancements at low applied potentials but do not enhance CO₂RR at these potentials. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroelectrochemistry can probe CO₂-surface interactions and reveals that desorption of CO₂ as bicarbonate is retarded in the presence of 4-PVP, with implications for ion-transport limitations in thick film CO₂RR.