(Bi)carbonate Precipitation and Gas Diffusion Electrode Stability Coexist during Pulsed Electrochemical CO₂ Reduction

Pulsed electrolysis is an effective strategy to stabilize the high selectivity of Cu gas diffusion electrodes toward C >= 2 products, the decrease of which over time under continuous operation is often ascribed to (bi)carbonate precipitation. Here, we demonstrate via operando wide-angle X-ray scattering that (bi)carbonate crystals precipitate even during pulsed electrolysis but without causing losses in C >= 2 product selectivity.