Communication—Lithium-Doped CuFeO2 Thin Film Electrodes for Photoelectrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol

Li-doped CuFeO 2 thin films are fabricated by electrodeposition and their photoelectrocatalytic performance for CO 2 reduction is examined. CuFeO 2 , LiFeO 2 , Cu 2 O and CuO are observed in Li-doped CuFeO 2 thin films. At Li-doped CuFeO 2 thin film photocathodes, CO 2 can be reduced to methanol with high selectivity. At the overpotential of 110 mV, methanol concentration is up to 153.75 μM and faradaic efficiency of methanol is as high as 96.7% in 1.5 h at the photocathode electrodeposited at −1.00 V. Since adsorbed CO has low mobility on LiFeO 2 surface, CO coupling on the electrode surface is inhibited, thus no C 2+ products are formed.