Unprecedented Electroreduction of CO₂ over Metal Organic Framework-Derived Intermetallic Nano-Alloy Cu_0.85Ni_0.15/C

Designing suitable catalysts for efficient and selective electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 is a need of the hour, and in this regard, the well-defined, highly dispersed active metal centers can be a trendsetting research endeavor toward CO2 electroreduction due to the maximum atom utilization and unique electronic structure. This study describes the synthesis and electrocatalytic CO2 reduction activity of atomistically dispersed Cu/C and Ni/C and the intermetallic nano-alloy Cu0.85Ni0.15/C. The catalysts were synthesized from the corresponding MOF precursors. The successful synthesis of the monometallic and intermetallic nano-alloys was established from structural, surface morphological, and electronic properties. Cu0.85Ni0.15/C exhibited an unprecedented electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 with a high selectivity and high faradaic efficiency toward CH3OH. The kinetic studies and the first-principles calculations elucidated the intricate mechanism and the superior activity of electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 over the intermetallic Cu0.85Ni0.15/C catalyst.