Despite great progress in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction on Cu-based materials, the selectivity for methanol has remained elusive in contrast to thermocatalytic routes. Here, using Cu2NCN with polarized Cu atoms as the cathode, selectivity of up to 70% for methanol is achieved by favouring cleavage of Cu–O over O–C in the crucial Cu–*O–CH3 intermediate.
- Shuyi Kong
- Ximeng Lv
- Fuqiang Huang