Bismuth oxide-loaded indium-organic framework catalysts for efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction

Fajun Li; Yuqi Ma; Lei Zhao; Lu Han; Xuancheng Gong; Yulu Zhang; Pengfei Lu; Guizhi Wang; Zhisheng Shi; Zhong Jin

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138251

Bismuth oxide-loaded indium-organic framework catalysts for efficient electrochemical CO₂ reduction

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2025 Jun 20;699(Pt 2):138251. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138251. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Fajun Li¹, Yuqi Ma², Lei Zhao³, Lu Han⁴, Xuancheng Gong⁴, Yulu Zhang⁴, Pengfei Lu⁴, Guizhi Wang⁴, Zhisheng Shi⁵, Zhong Jin⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Key Laboratory of Spin Electron and Nanomaterials, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, China; School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Anhui Laboratory of Clean Energy Materials and Chemistry for Sustainable Conversion of Natural Resources, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China. Electronic address: lifajuncl2012@163.com.
² School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Key Laboratory of Spin Electron and Nanomaterials, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, China; School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Anhui Laboratory of Clean Energy Materials and Chemistry for Sustainable Conversion of Natural Resources, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China.
³ School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Anhui Laboratory of Clean Energy Materials and Chemistry for Sustainable Conversion of Natural Resources, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China.
⁴ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Key Laboratory of Spin Electron and Nanomaterials, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, China.
⁵ School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Anhui Laboratory of Clean Energy Materials and Chemistry for Sustainable Conversion of Natural Resources, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China; Anhui Conch Group Co., Ltd, Jinghu District, Wuhu 241100, China. Electronic address: shizhisheng@ahpu.edu.cn.
⁶ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Key Laboratory of Spin Electron and Nanomaterials, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China. Electronic address: zhongjin@nju.edu.cn.

PMID: 40578083
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138251

Abstract

This study investigated electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction using bismuth oxide-loaded indium-organic framework catalysts (MIL-68(In)). Bismuth incorporation increased the density of reactive sites, reduced the energy barrier for intermediate formation, and significantly enhanced formic acid production. In an H-type cell, the Bi_1/2@MIL-68(In) catalyst achieved a Faradaic efficiency of 96.9 % for formic acid production at -1.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Experimental results further confirmed that Bi³⁺ doping enhanced catalyst conductivity and accelerated electron transfer. The integration of Bi₂O₃ into the MIL-68(In) framework enriched the surface with reactive centers, thereby facilitating CO₂ adsorption and activation. Theoretical calculations revealed that Bi_1/2@MIL-68(In) stabilized the HCOO* intermediate, thereby reducing the free energy barrier for formic acid formation. This study highlights the potential of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as scaffolds for incorporating secondary metals to enhance catalytic performance. The findings provide valuable guidance for the rational design of highly efficient CO₂ reduction catalysts.

Keywords: Bismuth doping; Catalytic activity; Electrocatalytic CO(2) reduction; Formic acid; MIL-68(In).