Aqueous CO Reduction with High Efficiency Using α-Co(OH) -Supported Atomic Ir Electrocatalysts.

Electrochemical reduction of CO into energy-dense chemical feedstock and fuels provides an attractive pathway to sustainable energy storage and artificial carbon cycle. Herein, we report the first work to use atomic Ir electrocatalyst for CO reduction. By using α-Co(OH) as the support, the faradaic efficiency of CO could reach 97.6 % with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 38290 h in aqueous electrolyte, which is the highest TOF up to date. The electrochemical active area is 23.4-times higher than Ir nanoparticles (2 nm), which is highly conductive and favors electron transfer from CO to its radical anion (CO ). Moreover, the more efficient stabilization of CO intermediate and easy charge transfer makes the atomic Ir electrocatalyst facilitate CO production. Hence, α-Co(OH) -supported atomic Ir electrocatalysts show enhanced CO activity and stability.