Efficient synthesis of syngas from CO₂ electrochemical reduction over a dual functional Fe_xC@CNT/N-MXene catalyst

Syngas, composed of CO and H-2, is a crucial precursor for the synthesis of hydrocarbons and aldehydes. Compared with traditional ways, the co-electrolysis of CO2 and water represents a sustainable approach to producing syngas using CO2 resources. In this work, we represented co-electrolysis of CO2 and water to syngas over an FexC@CNT/N-MXene catalyst in an H-type cell. The catalyst delivers tunable CO/H-2 ratios at a wide potential range from - 0.8 to - 1.2 V (vs. RHE) and provides equal FECO and FEH2 together with a current density of 26 mA cm(-2) at - 1.1 V (vs. RHE). Characterization results and DFT calculation confirmed that nanosized FexC wrapped inside carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are the main active sites for CO2ER to CO, while the N-doped Ti3C2Tx MXenes (N-MXene) are active sites for HER. The present work provides a strategy for constructing an efficient catalyst in CO2ER to syngas and offers a guideline for creating dual-functional catalysts in other reactions.