Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction Using Heteroatom Doped Carbon Materials for Multi-Carbon Production

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 into multicarbon (C2+) products is a highly attractive route for CO2 utilization; however, the yields of C2+ products remain low because of the limited C2+ selectivity. Here, we report a heteroatom doped carbon based electrocatalyst that exhibits a Faradaic efficiency greater than 70% for CO2 reduction (CO2R) and 90% of C2-3 selectivity. We show a C–C coupling mechanism between adsorbed CO intermediates for C2+ formation. This excellent efficiency and the corresponding mechanism are explained by theoretical calculations and spectroscopic analyses. With these results, we suggest a molecular design strategy for next-generation CO2 reduction catalysts for a green atmosphere.