Highly selective metal-organic framework-based electrocatalyst for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO

Abstract Cu- and Zn-MOF74 were synthesized using the nitrate salts of Cu and Zn combined with 2,5-dihydroxyterephtalic acid (H4DOBBDC) by a simple solvothermal method. The as-prepared Cu- and Zn-MOF74 were used as electrocatalysts for the electrochemical reduction CO2 using a H-type cell in a 0.1 M of KHCO3 aqueous solution. The Cu-MOF74 exhibited a larger surface area, higher CO selectivity, smaller Tafel slope, and lower overpotential than those of Zn-MOF74. A computational simulation showed that the lower activation energy of Cu-MOF74 than that of Zn-MOF74 in the rate-determining step resulted in better electrocatalytic properties.