Minimizing Catalyst Loading for Efficient Electrolysis of Carbon Capture Solution to CO

Direct electrolysis of a CO2 absorption solution (i.e., bicarbonates solution) has emerged as a promising strategy for integrating carbon capture and utilization technologies, bypassing the need for CO2 recovery and pressurization processes prior to electrolysis. During the bicarbonate electrolysis, CO2 is generated in situ as bicarbonate reacts with protons from the membrane within an electrolyzer, resulting in higher CO2 utilization efficiency compared to conventional CO2 electrolysis. However, the high loadings of precious metal catalyst, typically around 4.0 mg cm–2, represent a significant limitation. Herein, we utilized a cost-effective flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) technique to deposit silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto carbon cloth, followed by coating of commercial AgNPs (Cml-AgNPs). Benefiting from high surface area and uniform coverage, the cathode with FSP + Cml-AgNPs achieves comparable CO selectivity with only one-third of the AgNPs loading required for conventional airbrush deposition. Leveraging the high catalyst performance and uniform particle dispersion of FSP, this electrode preparation method presents a scalable and economical solution for bicarbonate electrolysis and electrochemical CO2 conversion.