Influence of the PTFE Membrane Thickness on the CO2 Electroreduction Performance of Sputtered Cu‐PTFE Gas Diffusion Electrodes

Abstract Gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) obtained by sputtering metal films on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes are among the most performant electrodes used to electrochemically reduce CO 2 . The present work reveals several essential aspects for fabricating performant PTFE‐based gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) for CO 2 electroreduction (CO 2 R). We show that adding an additive layer (a mixture of carbon and Nafion™ or Nafion™ only) is required for stabilizing the metal catalyst film (Cu), deposited via sputtering on the PTFE membrane, during the CO 2 R experiments. We found that the PTFE membrane thickness used in the GDE fabrication plays an essential role in electrode performance. The quantification of the products formed during the CO 2 R conducted in a flow‐cell electrolyzer revealed that on thinner membranes, CO 2 R is the dominant process while on thicker ones, the H 2 formation is promoted. Thus, the PTFE membrane influences the CO 2 transport to the catalyst layer and can be used to promote the CO 2 R while maintaining a minimum H 2 production.