Bacteria-derived atomically dispersed iron–nitrogen–phosphorus active sites for boosting electrochemical CO2 reduction kinetics

The construction of efficient electrocatalysts is key in harnessing the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CRR) to produce high-value chemicals. Herein, a typical bacterium containing metal–nitrogen (M−N) groups and with a rich phosphorus content, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, was used as a single precursor to produce atomically dispersed iron–nitrogen–phosphorus active sites (P–Fe/NC-1000) for converting CO2 to CO. Excellent CO selectivity of nearly 100% at 390 mV overpotential was achieved with good stability, and a rechargeable Zn–CO2 battery provides a maximum power density of 1.32 mW cm−2. Kinetic isotope effect measurements revealed that the presence of P atoms accelerates water dissociation and transfers a proton to Fe centers to promote protonation of intermediates and the overall CRR process. This synthesis strategy based on the intrinsic structure of a precursor may inspire the development of other high-performance catalysts for diverse electrochemical reactions beyond the CRR .