10.1021/ja4113885.s001 Sheng Zhang Sheng Zhang Peng Kang Peng Kang Thomas J. Meyer Thomas J. Meyer Nanostructured Tin Catalysts for Selective Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate American Chemical Society 2014 formate production NaHCO 3 solutions CO 2 reduction nanoscale tin surface Nanostructured Tin Catalysts FormateHigh surface area tin oxide nanocrystals Carbon Dioxide hydrothermal method novel nanostructured tin catalysts Faradaic efficiencies Selective Electrochemical Reduction 2014-02-05 00:00:00 Journal contribution https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Nanostructured_Tin_Catalysts_for_Selective_Electrochemical_Reduction_of_Carbon_Dioxide_to_Formate/2326714 High surface area tin oxide nanocrystals prepared by a facile hydrothermal method are evaluated as electrocatalysts toward CO<sub>2</sub> reduction to formate. At these novel nanostructured tin catalysts, CO<sub>2</sub> reduction occurs selectively to formate at overpotentials as low as ∼340 mV. In aqueous NaHCO<sub>3</sub> solutions, maximum Faradaic efficiencies for formate production of >93% have been reached with high stability and current densities of >10 mA/cm<sup>2</sup> on graphene supports. The notable reactivity toward CO<sub>2</sub> reduction achieved here may arise from a compromise between the strength of the interaction between CO<sub>2</sub><sup>•–</sup> and the nanoscale tin surface and subsequent kinetic activation toward protonation and further reduction.