Countering in situ reduction of SnO2 during electrochemical CO2 conversion via oxidative pulsing†

Abstract

The application of periodic anodic pulses in CO₂ electroreduction (p-eCO₂R) offers a promising route to counteract the inevitable in situ reduction of metal oxide catalysts. This study demonstrates the first application of p-eCO₂R to a catalyst composed solely of a tin (oxide) active phase, using a pomegranate-structured SnO₂@C nanosphere. Periodic, prolonged anodic pulses (30 s) at 0.2 V vs. RHE improved faradaic efficiency towards formate after 6 hours, retaining 78 ± 2% versus 71 ± 6% under potentiostatic conditions, suggesting p-eCO₂R can extend Sn-based catalyst lifetimes for more sustainable CO₂ conversion.