PbBiNi alloy catalyst for electrochemical reduction of CO2: Performance evaluation for formic acid production

The electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into value-added products offers a promising strategy to tackle energy storage issues and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This study introduces a novel PbBiNi alloy catalyst that enables highly efficient conversion of CO 2 into formic acid (HCOOH). The catalyst demonstrates outstanding stability, selectivity, and catalytic performance under ambient conditions. The PbBiNi catalyst's remarkable performance is attributed to its distinctive electronic properties and surface morphology. SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, and EDX analysis were performed to understand its surface morphology and composition. The catalyst’s performance in the electrochemical conversion of CO 2 into formic acid was evaluated through a series of experiments designed using response surface methodology (RSM). Various parameters, such as current, catalyst dosage, and electrolyte concentration, were optimized using Central Composite Design (CCD) to enhance formic acid production. At optimum conditions, the metal-based alloy achieved a high faradaic efficiency (FE) of 81 %, a formic acid concentration of 756 mg/L, and an energy consumption value of 3.45 kWh.kg −1 (formic acid) at current density of 56 mA.cm −2 . The catalyst also exhibited good stability under these conditions. These findings underscore the potential of the PbBiNi alloy (due to synergistic effect) as an effective and scalable solution for CO 2 reduction into formate/formic acid, thereby facilitating the development of sustainable energy technologies. • High-performance PbBiNi alloy catalyst was synthesized. • The catalyst was evaluated for CO 2 reduction into formic acid (HCOOH). • The catalyst performance was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). • The catalyst demonstrated outstanding stability, selectivity, and catalytic performance.