The electrochemical reduction of CO 2 into valuable products is a promising strategy for mitigating atmospheric CO 2 emissions, particularly coupled with solar energy. Among the possible products, CO is currently most attractive, both because it can combine with hydrogen to produce syngas, and because CO is a key reactant in the chemical industry. Copper‐based electrocatalysts are extensively investigated for CO 2 reduction; however, their morphological and chemical evolution under operating conditions still needs to be clarified, to understand the relationship between morphology, structure, and catalytic activity. This paper discusses a Cu 2 O–SnO 2 based‐catalyst, designed to enhance CO selectivity, and studies its evolution under reaction conditions by operando electrochemical liquid‐phase transmission electron microscopy (EC‐LPTEM). First, the morphology and composition of the as‐prepared catalyst is characterized. Then, operando EC‐LPTEM is discussed and compared to the post mortem catalyst characterization, together with electrochemical behavior evaluated in the lab‐scale device. Different experimental conditions were studied to provide insights on how the catalyst modifies during the electrochemical activity. This characterization contributes to a better understanding of the possible mechanisms involved in the CO 2 reduction, and of the factors influencing the catalyst stability and selectivity, supporting the development of improved catalysts for CO 2 to syngas conversion.
Gho et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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