Upgrading of CO2 into liquid fuels, which have high energy densities and are easy to store and distribute, is one of the most promising routes to abate carbon emissions and rapid consumption of fossil resources. Formic acid is regarded as a valuable hydrogen carrier for fuel cells and important feedstock for industry. Nevertheless, the lower formate generation rate and energy conversion efficiency of CO2 electroreduction limit this approach to the practical application. Here, we present a powerful Bi2S3-derived catalyst that exhibits an ultrahigh current density of 2.0 A cm-2 with a formate FE of 93.4% at only -0.95 V vs. RHE, the highest value to date. The energy conversion efficiency and single-pass yield of formate reach ~80% and 65%, respectively, and durability reaches 100 h at an industrial-relevant current density. A high-concentration pure formic acid of 3.5 M can be continuously produced using a solid electrolyte cell. The detailed experiments and theoretical calculations reveal that the most active site for bismuth-based catalysts under alkaline conditions. This work identifies the real active sites and widens strategies for designing highly efficient catalysts.

CO2 electroreduction to formic acid

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