Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, compositions, devices, systems and uses that pertain to the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO. The application presents a class of electrodes, incorporating molecular catalysts in nanostructures, for robust and efficient electrochemical systems, specifically, selective and robust hybrid electrodes, by incorporating a rhenium (Re) catalyst into the structure of highly porous heterogeneous materials. These electrodes can be scaled up to desired manufacturing dimensions due to their robust nature and methods of preparation.

Abstract: Electricity is generated by oxidizing a carbon-containing fuel in a photoelectrochemical fuel cell via a cyclic oxidation pathway to yield carbon dioxide and water, and collecting the electrons released via the cyclic oxidation pathway to yield a flow of electrons. The cyclic oxidation pathway includes a series of reactions of which is a photooxidation reaction. Photooxidation triggers one or more dark oxidation reactions, thereby increasing the efficiency of the photoelectrochemical fuel cell.