Revealing the Real Role of Etching during Controlled Assembly of Nanocrystals Applied to Electrochemical Reduction of CO.

In recent years, the use of inexpensive and efficient catalysts for the electrocatalytic CO reduction reaction (CORR) to regulate syngas ratios has become a hot research topic. Here, a series of nitrogen-doped iron carbide catalysts loaded onto reduced graphene oxide (N-FeC/rGO-H) were prepared by pyrolysis of iron oleate, etching, and nitrogen-doped carbonization. The main products of the N-FeC/rGO-H electrocatalytic reduction of CO are CO and H, when tested in a 0.5 M KHCO electrolyte at room temperature and pressure. In the prepared catalysts, the high selectivity (the Faraday efficiency of CO was 40.8%, at -0.3 V), and the total current density reaches 29.1 mA/cm at -1.0 V as demonstrated when the mass ratio of FeO NPs to rGO was equal to 100, the nitrogen doping temperature was 800 °C and the ratio of syngas during the reduction process was controlled by the applied potential (-0.2-1.0 V) in the range of 1 to 20. This study provides an opportunity to develop nonprecious metals for the electrocatalytic CO reduction reaction preparation of synthesis and gas provides a good reference.