Cu-Pd Bimetallic Gas Diffusion Electrodes for Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to C2+ Products

Carbon dioxide electroreduction driven by renewable electricity into high-value chemicals enables energy storage while contributing to climate change mitigation. Herein, a CuPd bimetallic catalyst is developed by electrodeposition for efficient CO2 electroreduction, achieving a C2+ Faradaic efficiency as high as 75.6% with a current density of -200mA cm(-2) at -1.15 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Upon incorporation of Pd, the average d-band center of the CuPd bimetallic catalyst downward shifts relative to the Fermi level, making the adsorbed CO intermediates active for further C-C coupling. Theoretical calculations confirm that CO generated on the Pd domain can spill over to the CuPd interface for C-C coupling with a lower energy barrier, further promoting the formation of C2+ compounds. This study provides insights into the rational design of Cu-based bimetallic catalysts for highly efficient CO2 electroreduction to multicarbon products.