Exsoluble Ni–Co alloy nanoparticles anchored on a layered perovskite for direct CO2 electrolysis

Abstract

It has never been more important to develop new technologies that can reduce CO2 emissions or convert them into useful chemical products. As solid-state electrochemical devices, solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is capable of converting CO2 efficiently and selectively into CO or, when combined with water electrolysis, producing syngas (CO and H2). Herein, we demonstrate a novel layered perovskite oxide, reduced (La4Sr4)0.9Ti7.2Ni0.4Co0.4O26 (LSTNC-r), decorated by exsolved Ni-Co alloy nanoparticles for high-efficiency CO2 electrolysis. The cell renders a higher activity for electrolysis of CO2 with a current density of 1.53 A cm−2 @2.0 V and 850 °C. Faradic efficiency measurement and stability test suggest that LSTNC-r are promising fuel electrodes for high-efficient CO2 electrolysis.