Electrolyte engineering regulating the interfacial water structure of Cu2O catalysts to promote electrochemical C–C coupling reactions

Abstract

Here we engineer the solvated structure of metal cations by introducing dimethyl sulfoxide as an electrolyte additive to modulate the interfacial water environment. This tailored solvation facilitates faster proton-coupled electron transfer on Cu-based catalysts during CO₂ activation and increases *CO intermediate absorption, thereby promoting C–C coupling toward C₂H₄ formation in the electrochemical CO₂ reduction.