An efficient method to prepare supported bismuth nanoparticles as highly selective electrocatalyst for the conversion of CO2 into formate.

We report a cost-effective, straightforward synthesis of a novel electrocatalyst for the reduction of CO2 to formate, which achieves nearly complete Faradaic efficiency (FE) at an overpotential (η) of 0.88 V under ambient conditions. The electrocatalyst was prepared using bismuth subsalicylate as precursor and consists of bismuth nanoparticles (Bi NPs) with an average diameter of 5.5 nm supported on activated carbon.