ZIF-8-regulated ZnO facilitates the efficient electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to CO

Abstract

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ using renewable electricity offers a sustainable approach for the production of valuable chemicals. However, this process is often hindered by low catalytic activity and poor selectivity. In this study, we have developed a novel electrocatalyst that integrates ZIF-8-regulated ZnO interfaces, undercoordinated surface sites, and mesoporous nanostructures. This design enabled the ZnO/ZIF-8 catalyst to achieve excellent CO₂ conversion performance, with a CO₂ Faraday efficiency of more than 91% over the potential range of −1.0 V to −1.6 V and a high current density compared to reversible hydrogen electrodes. At an optimal potential of −1.4 V, the CO Faraday efficiency reaches 95.57%, accompanied by a current density of −8.16 mA cm⁻². The porous nature and superior CO₂ adsorption ability of the ZIF-8 shell layer foster an optimal setting for CO₂ conversion while enhancing the exposure of active sites. Additionally, the synergistic coupling of ZnO and ZIF-8 interfaces fine-tunes the electronic structure of the active sites, thereby enhancing the CO₂RR efficiency.