Selective electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to ethylene on a copper hydroxide nitrate nanostructure electrode

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction (CO 2 RR) is a promising technology to convert CO 2 into valuable carbon-based fuels and chemicals. Copper (Cu) is a unique catalyst for this reaction as it yields substantial hydrocarbon products, but still suffers from low selectivity in aqueous solution. Here, we present a nanostructure Cu@Cu 2 (OH) 3 NO 3 electrode using a facile molten salt decomposition method (MSDM). Both XPS and XRD data indicate that Cu 2 (OH) 3 NO 3 is converted into metallic Cu when employed in CO 2 electroreduction in KHCO 3 solution, leaving abundant defects on the dendritic rough surface. Benefiting from the defects and rough surface, this electrode exhibited a high selectivity for C 2 H 4 production with a faradaic efficiency (FE) of 31.80% and a high stability for 20 h. Enhanced C 2 H 4 selectivity on the defect rich, rough and dendritic surface.