The interfacial effect induced by rare earth oxide in boosting the conversion of CO₂ to formate

The selectivity in the electrocatalysis of carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR) has attracted tremendous attention but still faces a great challenge. Constructing an interface has become an advanced strategy to effectively modulate electroactivity and selectivity. Herein, we report the synthesis of a CeO₂/Bi₃NbO₇ fibrous tubular structure through a simple electrospinning method, which has shown a much-improved selectivity of 84.73% towards formic acid with remarkable durability in the CO₂RR. Theoretical calculations have demonstrated that the construction interface has supplied highly electroactive regions with efficient electron transfer, which not only improves the adsorption of key adsorbates but also alleviates the reaction energy barriers. The modulation induced by the interface enables the high selectivity and yield of HCOOH. This work has supplied a novel and advanced strategy to utilize the interfacial effect in developing superior CO₂RR electrocatalysts in the future. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry.