Boosting SurfaceCoverage of CO Intermediates throughMultimetallic Interface Interactions for Efficient CO₂ ElectrochemicalReduction

Given the inherent challenges of the CO₂ electroreduction (CO₂ER) reaction, solely from CO₂ and H₂O, it is desirable to develop selective product formation pathways. This can be achieved by designing multimetallic nanocomposites that provide optimal CO coverage, allowing for tunability in the product formation. In this work, Ag and Zn codoped-SrTiO₃ (ZAST) composite immobilized carbon black (CB)-modified GCE working electrode (ZAST@CB/GCE) was developed for the electrochemical conversion of CO₂ to multicarbon products. The complete reaction was carried out in a CO₂-saturated aqueous system of 0.5 M KHCO₃ electrolyte. A potential-dependent product selectivity was suggested based on the NMR results, wherein raising the potential value enhanced the formation of liquid products such as acetone and alcohols while suppressing competitive HER. The total Faradaic efficiency for liquid products reached an impressive 97% at a potential of −0.6 V vs. RHE. This represents a significant advancement in acetone production pathways and valorization of CO₂ER technology.