1.42-fold enhancement of formate selectivity by linker conversion on the Zn-based metal organic framework catalyst

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Electro-reduction of carbon dioxide (ERCO2) is considered an effective method to alleviate the greenhouse effect and produce value-added chemicals. Achieving the dominant selectivity of Zn-based catalysts for formate remains a challenge. In this article, the ZnIn-E12 catalyst is successfully prepared by solvent assisted ligand exchange (SALE) method to convert organic ligands, achieving a Faradaic efficiency of 72.28% for formate at −1.26 V vs. RHE (VRHE), which is 1.42 times higher than the original catalyst. Evidence shows that the successful conversion of organic ligands can transform the catalyst from the original large size polyhedron to cross-linked network of particles with a diameter of about 30 nm. The increased specific surface area can expose more active sites and facilitate the electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 to formate. This work is expected to provide inspiration for the regulation of formate selectivity and catalyst size in Zn-based catalysts.