Yang, Bin, Akdim, Ouardia, Yuan, Chengcheng, Li, Ruina, Yu, Luo, García, Hermenegildo, Yu, Jiaguo, Hutchings, Graham J.  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8885-1560 and Kuang, Panyong
2026.
In-situ reconstructed Cu-In2O3 electron-rich interfaces facilitate high selective CO2-to-CO conversion at low potentials.
Chinese Journal of Catalysis
85
, pp. 117-129.
10.1016/S1872-2067(26)65017-6
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Abstract
The electroreduction of CO2 to CO is fundamentally hindered by sluggish COOH intermediate formation and the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, we show that this challenge can be addressed through the dynamic in-situ reconstruction of a CuO/In2O3 precursor under electrochemical CO2 reduction conditions. By employing in-situ electrochemical spectroscopy techniques in combination with theoretical calculations, we demonstrate that the presence of In2O3 facilitates the complete reduction of CuO to metallic Cu. This in-situ reconstruction produces electron-rich Cu-In2O3 interfaces, characterized by a reduced work function and an upshifted Cu 3d-band center, which promote CO2 activation and the formation of COOH/CO intermediates. Those interfacial properties lead to a pronounced electronic coupling that endows the electrocatalyst with high CO2-to-CO selectivity at low potentials. Specifically, the optimised Cu/In2O3 achieves CO Faradaic efficiency above 90% across −0.5 to −0.9 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode, reaching 97.6% at −0.6 V in a H-type cell, and sustains a high CO selectivity of 96.0% even at an ultralow potential of −0.2 V in a flow-cell configuration. These findings underscore the crucial role of electron-rich interfaces in directing CO2 reduction with exceptional selectivity and activity toward CO formation.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Chemistry Research Institutes & Centres > Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI) |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 1872-2067 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 8 July 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 27 November 2025 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Aug 2026 09:15 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187685 |
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