Minimizing catalyst loading for efficient electrolysis of carbon capture solution to CO

Direct electrolysis of 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 the 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.