Nitrogen-doped graphenes as efficient electrocatalysts for the selective reduction of carbon dioxide to formate in aqueous solution

We report the first example of metal-free nitrogen-doped graphene-based materials for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to formate. The synthesized catalysts are highly active and stable in the electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to formate in an aqueous electrolyte. The novel catalyst outperforms the prevalent noble metal electrodes, nanostructured metals and state-of-the-art metal-free electrocatalysts by achieving comparable selectivity of formate but with a much lower overpotential.