Bubble Formation in the Electrolyte Triggers Voltage Instability in CO2 Electrolyzers

The electrochemical reduction of CO₂ is promising for mitigating anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions; however, voltage instabilities currently inhibit reaching high current densities that are prerequisite for commercialization. Here, for the first time, we elucidate that product gaseous bubble accumulation on the electrode/electrolyte interface is the direct cause of the voltage instability in CO₂ electrolyzers. Although bubble formation in …