Insights on Dual‐Functional Ionic Liquid Interfacial Layer for Efficient CO 2 Electroreduction to C 2+ Products in Acid

ABSTRACT Electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) in acidic electrolyte is hindered by severe hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and inefficient C–C coupling, leading to poor selectivity toward multicarbon (C 2+ ) products. Here, we construct a dual‐functional interfacial layer by modifying a CuO catalyst with the ionic liquid choline triazole ([Cho][Triz]). This interfacial layer simultaneously regulates the active hydrogen (*H) supply pathway to suppress HER and stabilizes key C–C coupling intermediates, thereby promoting C 2+ product formation. Comprehensive in situ spectroscopic characterizations and theoretical simulations reveal that the ionic liquid interfacial layer disrupts the continuous hydrogen‐bond network of interfacial water, suppresses hydronium (H 3 O + ) transport from the bulk electrolyte, and accelerates water dissociation to generate *H species, thereby promoting intermediate hydrogenation and inhibiting HER. Meanwhile, the hydroxyl groups in the ionic liquid stabilize the *CHO intermediate and facilitate the energetically favorable asymmetric *CHO–*CO coupling pathway. Benefiting from this dual‐functional regulation, the [Cho][Triz]‐modified CuO catalyst delivers a C 2+ Faradaic efficiency of 81.1% at 800 mA cm −2 in 1 M KCl/0.05 M H 2 SO 4 electrolyte. Notably, the Faradaic efficiency of ethanol is approximately 2.2 times higher than that of CuO.

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Journal
Angewandte Chemie
Published
2026-09-10
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.7683916
Primary Topic
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
Type
article
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article

Insights on Dual‐Functional Ionic Liquid Interfacial Layer for Efficient CO 2 Electroreduction to C 2+ Products in Acid

Qizhou Xue, Xiangping Zhang, Shaojuan Zeng, Jiaqi Feng et al.
Angewandte Chemie
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
article

Insights on Dual‐Functional Ionic Liquid Interfacial Layer for Efficient CO 2 Electroreduction to C 2+ Products in Acid

Qizhou Xue, Xiangping Zhang, Shaojuan Zeng, Jiaqi Feng, bingyu li, Aofei Cheng, Xuejing Zhen, Jiaxin Cheng, Min Wang, Yanlin Wang
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) in acidic electrolyte is hindered by severe hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and inefficient C–C coupling, leading to poor selectivity toward multicarbon (C 2+ ) products. Here, we construct a dual‐functional interfacial layer by modifying a CuO catalyst with the ionic liquid choline triazole ([Cho][Triz]). This interfacial layer simultaneously regulates the active hydrogen (*H) supply pathway to suppress HER and stabilizes key C–C coupling intermediates, thereby promoting C 2+ product formation. Comprehensive in situ spectroscopic characterizations and theoretical simulations reveal that the ionic liquid interfacial layer disrupts the continuous hydrogen‐bond network of interfacial water, suppresses hydronium (H 3 O + ) transport from the bulk electrolyte, and accelerates water dissociation to generate *H species, thereby promoting intermediate hydrogenation and inhibiting HER. Meanwhile, the hydroxyl groups in the ionic liquid stabilize the *CHO intermediate and facilitate the energetically favorable asymmetric *CHO–*CO coupling pathway. Benefiting from this dual‐functional regulation, the [Cho][Triz]‐modified CuO catalyst delivers a C 2+ Faradaic efficiency of 81.1% at 800 mA cm −2 in 1 M KCl/0.05 M H 2 SO 4 electrolyte. Notably, the Faradaic efficiency of ethanol is approximately 2.2 times higher than that of CuO.

Angewandte Chemie
China University of Petroleum, Beijing (CN), Institute of Process Engineering (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 29%
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
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Insights on Dual‐Functional Ionic Liquid Interfacial Layer for Efficient CO 2 Electroreduction to C 2+ Products in Acid — Qizhou Xue, Xiangping Zhang, et al. · Angewandte Chemie (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS