Amorphization-Activated Copper Indium Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Stable Syngas Production from Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction.

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) refers to the conversion of carbon dioxide into compounds with added value through electrolysis. It is still a great challenge to design and manufacture efficient CO 2 RR catalysts for desired products. Producing syngas via CO 2 RR is an environmentally friendly way to reduce CO 2 in the atmosphere and the dependence on fossil fuels. Herein, a new class of Cu/In 2 O 3 nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled phases and structures were successfully prepared as superior electrocatalysts for CO 2 RR, where the CO/H 2 ratios in syngas on Cu/In 2 O 3 NPs/C-H 2 remained about 1 : 2 at a broad potential range and the total faradaic efficiency of H 2 and CO always remained about 90 %. Electronic structural analysis revealed that the excellent performance was attributed to the electronic interaction between amorphous In 2 O 3 and Cu. This work broadens the horizons for designing and preparing fascinating electrocatalysts for CO 2 RR.