title: Nanostructured tin catalysts for selective electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to formate.
abstract: High surface area tin oxide nanocrystals prepared by a facile hydrothermal method are evaluated as electrocatalysts toward CO2 reduction to formate. At these novel nanostructured tin catalysts, CO2 reduction occurs selectively to formate at overpotentials as low as ∼340 mV. In aqueous NaHCO3 solutions, maximum Faradaic efficiencies for formate production of >93% have been reached with high stability and current densities of >10 mA/cm(2) on graphene supports. The notable reactivity toward CO2 reduction achieved here may arise from a compromise between the strength of the interaction between CO2(•-) and the nanoscale tin surface and subsequent kinetic activation toward protonation and further reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Meyer