Enhanced CO₂ electrolysis at redox engineered interfaces

Carbon dioxide obtained from industrial waste streams can be reduced to deliver significant reductions in global CO₂ emissions. This can be achieved sustainably by utilising renewable electricity to drive the electrolysis. Solid Oxide Electrolysis (SOE) is an efficient, high temperature approach that reduces polarisation losses and best utilises process heat; however, at present, the technology is relatively unrefined for CO₂ electrolysis. Approaches are based upon solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology. There is an important need to develop new materials optimally tuned and better suited to the very different requirements of SOE. As in most electrochemical systems, the interfaces between active components are usually of great importance in determining the performance and lifetime of any application. Here, we report a generic approach of interface engineering to achieve active interfaces at nanoscale by a synergistic control of materials function and interface architecture. We show that the redox-engineered interfaces facilitate the atomic oxygen transfer from adsorbed CO₂ molecules to the cathode lattice that determines CO₂ electrolysis rate at elevated temperatures. Composite cathodes with in situ grown interfaces demonstrate significantly enhanced CO₂ electrolysis and improved durability.