The chemical coupling interaction has been explored extensively to boost heterogeneous catalysis, but the insight into how chemical coupling interaction works on CO2 electroreduction remains unclear. Herein we demonstrate how the chemical coupling interaction between porous In2O3 nanobelts and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) could substantially improve the electrocatalytic activity toward CO2 electroreduction. Such an In2O3-rGO hybrid catalyst showed 1.4-fold and 3.6-fold enhancements in Faradaic efficiency and specific current density for the formation of formate at -1.2 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode relative to the catalyst prepared by physically loading of In2O3 nanobelts onto rGO, respectively. The density functional theory calculations and electrochemical analysis together revealed that the chemical coupling interaction boosted CO2 electroreduction activity by improving electrical conductivity and stabilizing key intermediate HCOO-*. The present work not only deepens an understanding of chemical coupling effect but also provides an effective lever to optimize the catalytic performance toward CO2 electroreduction.
Keywords: CO electroreduction; Chemical coupling interaction; adsorption energy; electrical conductivity.