Facile Synthesis of Porous Zinc Nanosheets for Highly Selective Electrochemical CO₂ Reduction to CO

With the increasing levels of CO₂ emissions and the decreasing availability of energy resources, the electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) offers a promising method for utilizing CO₂ as a valuable resource using sustainable electrical energy. However, developing cost-effective and highly efficient catalysts remains a significant challenge. Although zinc, an abundant element on Earth, has shown potential for converting CO₂ into CO, its effectiveness as a catalyst for CO₂ reduction is hindered by its low selectivity and stability. This study introduces a fast, efficient, and simple electrochemical deposition method for preparing porous zinc nanosheets (NS) using the hydrogen bubble template approach. The as-prepared zinc NS catalyst demonstrates exceptional catalytic activity due to its highly porous structure and high specific surface area. At a voltage of −1 V versus RHE, it achieves a maximum CO Faradaic efficiency of 89.5 %. The performance of this system is characterized by a partial current density of around −6.17 mA cm⁻² in an H-cell configuration. Additionally, our catalyst exhibits remarkable durability over 10 h, highlighting its significant potential for real-world utilization in CO₂RR.