Sequential *CO management via controlling in situ reconstruction for efficient industrial-current-density CO₂-to-C₂₊ electroreduction.

Abstract

Sequentially managing the coverage and dimerization of *CO on the Cu catalysts is desirable for industrial-current-density CO₂ reduction (CO₂R) to C₂₊, which required the multiscale design of the surface atom/architecture. However, the oriented design is colossally difficult and even no longer valid due to unpredictable reconstruction. Here, we leverage the synchronous leaching of ligand molecules to manipulate the seeding-growth process during CO₂R reconstruction and construct Cu arrays with favorable (100) facets. The gradient diffusion in the reconstructed array guarantees a higher *CO coverage, which can continuously supply the reactant to match its high-rate consumption for high partial current density for C₂₊. Sequentially, the lower energy barriers of *CO dimerization on the (100) facets contribute to the high selectivity of C₂₊. Profiting from this sequential *CO management, the reconstructed Cu array delivers an industrial-relevant FE_C2+ of 86.1% and an FE_C2H4 of 60.8% at 700 mA cm^-2. Profoundly, the atomic-molecular scale delineation for the evolution of catalysts and reaction intermediates during CO₂R can undoubtedly facilitate various electrocatalytic reactions.