Anionic Coordination Control in Building Cu-Based Electrocatalytic Materials for CO Reduction Reaction.

Renewable energy-driven conversion of CO to value-added fuels and chemicals via electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CORR) technology is regarded as a promising strategy with substantial environmental and economic benefits to achieve carbon neutrality. Because of its sluggish kinetics and complex reaction paths, developing robust catalytic materials with exceptional selectivity to the targeted products is one of the core issues, especially for extensively concerned Cu-based materials. Manipulating Cu species by anionic coordination is identified as an effective way to improve electrocatalytic performance, in terms of modulating active sites and regulating structural reconstruction.