Graphdiyne enables Cu nanoparticles for highly selective electroreduction of CO₂ to formate

Undoped Cu nanoparticles (NPs) generally show poor selectivity and activity for electroreduction of CO 2 to formate due to hard desorption of HCOO* intermediate on Cu site. Here we report a Cu/pyrenyl-graphdiyne (Pyr-GDY) composite catalyst, in which Cu 2 O and CuO NPs were in-situ formed and embedded in the matrix of a two-dimensional (2D) Pyr-GDY, during the synthesis of 2D Pyr-GDY using monolayer graphene covered Cu foil as a template, and...