Rapid Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate by an Iridium Pincer Catalyst Immobilized on Carbon Nanotube Electrodes

An iridium pincer dihydride catalyst was immobilized on carbon nanotube-coated gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) by using a non-covalent binding strategy. The as-prepared GDEs are efficient, selective, durable, gas permeable electrodes for electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate. High turnover numbers (ca. 54,000) and turnover frequencies (ca. 15 s(-1)) were enabled by the novel electrode architecture in aqueous solutions saturated in CO2 with added HCO3(-).