Chem. J. Chinese Universities ›› 2020, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 530.doi: 10.7503/cjcu20190516

• Physical Chemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Preparation of SnO2/GDE Cathodes and Their Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Produce Formic Acid

ZHUO Mengning1,LI Fei2,JIANG Hao3,CHEN Qianwen1,LI Peng3,WANG Lizhang1,*   

  1. 1. School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
    2. Suzhou Hongyu Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215000, China
    3. School of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China
  • Received:2019-10-10 Online:2020-02-26 Published:2019-12-25
  • Contact: Lizhang WANG
  • Supported by:
    † Supported by the Key R & D Plan Projects in Jiangsu Province, China(No.BE2017640)

Abstract:

The SnO2 gas diffusion electrodes(SnO2/GDE) were prepared by low temperature hydrothermal synthesis. Their physicochemical properties and catalytic performance for reduction of CO2 to produce formic acid were studied. The results of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the catalysts prepared at 60, 75 and 100 ℃ were all nano-SnO2 powder with good dispersibility, and the particle sizes were 7.9, 11.8 and 12.9 nm, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results showed that the electrodes had excellent electrocatalytic activity, and their electrochemically active surface area was 150, 470, 240 cm 2, respectively, the resistance after fitting was 8.5, 3.9, and 6.6 Ω·cm 2, respectively. With electrical charge of 500 C passed at applied potential of -1.8 V(vs. SCE),, the electrodes showed higher electrocatalytic performance for reduction of CO2 to produce formic acid. For the best electrode that prepared at 75 ℃, the current density of formic acid production was 22.8 mA/cm 2, and the Faraday efficiency of formic acid production was as high as 93.5%; after 20 h of electrolysis of this electrode, the current density of formic acid production could be maintained at 12.8 mA/cm 2, and the Faraday efficiency of formic acid production was stable at about 65%, indicating that the preparation of SnO2 catalysts by low-temperature hydrothermal synthesis has great competitiveness.

Key words: CO2, Electrocatalytic reduction, Low temperature hydrothermal synthesis, SnO2/gas diffusion electrode

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