Design of Alloy Electrocatalysts for CO 2 Reduction: III . The Selective and Reversible Reduction of on Cu Alloy Electrodes

Abstract

Many Cu alloys have been studied for electrocatalytic activity of reduction in aqueous solution. Anomalously low overpotentials with highly selective Cu alloy catalysts have been seen for the reduction of to, , or . Cu‐Ni alloys produce and selectively at reversible potentials and Cu‐Sn and Cu‐Pb produce and with an enhanced reaction rate at the reversible potentials of formation. Other alloy catalysts such as Cu‐Zn, Cu‐Cd, or Cu‐Ag also exhibit behaviors distinct from those of the elemental metals. The results reported here indicate further possibilities for the development of powerful new electrocatalysts for the reduction of .