Structural Tuning of Self‐Conductive Polymer as Gas Diffusion Layer for Electrocatalytic Reactions at High Current

Abstract

Electrocatalytic conversions offer a promising route for sustainable chemical production using renewable energy. Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) enable selective product formation at high current densities but suffer from electrolyte flooding, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based GDLs typically require metal conductive layers, which constrain catalyst development. A recently developed GDL configuration, electropolymerized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-coated PTFE, demonstrates notable flooding resistance, but suffers from gas diffusion limitations at elevated currents due to limited gas diffusion through the PEDOT layer. Here, different dopants in PEDOT are exploited to modify the physical properties and enhance gas transport. ClO4−-doped PEDOT exhibits superior performance due to optimized physical structure, leading to increased gas permeance and faradaic efficiency (FE) for CO production during electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. Further optimization of coverage and thickness achieved by adjusting charge density led to an optimal configuration at 33 mC cm−2. This GDL supports various metal electrocatalysts and demonstrates FECO of > 90% for over 150 h at −200 mA cm−2 using a commercial silver electrocatalyst. This work highlights the importance of GDL engineering in enhancing performance and durability for long-term electrocatalytic processes.