Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) has the potential to serve as a competent technology capable of reducing the CO2 levels in the atmosphere while utilizing renewable energy. The CO generated from the CO2RR forms a component of syngas (CO/H2), which is highly demanded in the market and industry, recognized for its value as a chemical feedstock. However, to achieve an industrial-level current density, improvement in the CO2-to-CO catalyst is necessary. Au, Ag, and Zn exhibit high CO selectivity in the CO2RR due to their low CO desorption energy barrier and poor hydrogen binding energy, showing over 90% FE of CO. Particularly, Ag is considered a promising catalyst due to its high durability, selectivity, and moderate price. However, it fails to suppress HER at high potential and current regions, limiting the incretion in CO current density.In this study, we developed a scalable AgCl nanocube catalyst for the CO2RR using a sonochemistry-based method. The AgCl nanocube achieved a CO current density of over 400 mA cm-2 in a 0.1 M KHCO3 electrolyte using an MEA cell. AgCl releases Cl and forms Ag surface through an electrochemical reduction process, resulting in AgCl-derived Ag catalysts. This AgCl-derived surface possesses high porosity, enhancing CO2 mass transfer, and promote CO2 adsorption through charged surfaces, leading to high CO current density. The uniform AgCl nanocube catalyst, which can be synthesized on a gram scale under mild conditions, offers cost-effective and rapid catalyst supply. During the reduction process, the AgCl nanocubes break into smaller particles, resulting in an AgCl-derived Ag catalyst with an increased surface area. Surface spectroscopic analysis revealed enhanced CO2 adsorption and the presence of Cl remaining on the catalyst surface. As a result, the AgCl nanocube successfully suppressed HER at high potential regions, maintaining a high level of CO selectivity, thereby increasing the productivity of CO2-to-CO electroreduction. A rapid and scalable synthetic method for nanoparticle that simultaneously obtains a reagent (Cl) that enhances the reaction and a CO2RR catalyst (Ag) could provide insights for future catalyst development.
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