Fabrication of Bi‐based metal‐organic framework for efficient electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to produce HCOOH

Global warming, environmental pollution, and climate change are critical challenges that demand immediate action through sustainable carbon capture and carbon utilization to mitigate their impacts. In this study, we synthesized a bismuth (Bi)-based metal–organic framework catalyst (CAU-17) with tunable morphology to investigate the impact of structural configuration on its electrocatalytic performance for the conversion of CO₂ to formic acid. The mixed hexagonal rod-like/plate-like structures of CAU-17 (M-CAU-17) expose abundant electrochemically active sites, which significantly enhances the efficiency of CO₂ conversion. At a potential of − 0.9 V (versus RHE), M-CAU-17 achieved a maximum Faradaic efficiency (FE_max%) of about 80% for formic acid production, accompanied by a total current density of about 3.7 mA cm⁻². Furthermore, the CO₂ electrolysis performance of M-CAU-17 exhibited exceptional stability over an extended period of 32 h at − 0.9 V (vs. RHE). This prolonged stability highlights the practical applicability of M-CAU-17 as a robust catalyst for sustained CO₂ reduction. These results underscore the significant potential of M-CAU-17 in selectively and efficiently producing formic acid. Overall, the study not only establishes the effectiveness of the catalyst but also offers a promising solution for sustainable carbon utilization and addressing environmental challenges.