▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - Copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst comprises graphene aerogel and coral-shaped nano-cuprous oxide rods and nano-copper rods loaded on the graphene aerogel, where the diameters of the nano cuprous oxide rods and the nano copper rods are both 40-60 nm. USE - The copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst is used for gas diffusion electrode in electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (all claimed). ADVANTAGE - The copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst has excellent catalytic activity and selectivity, high porosity, fast electronic transmission rate, and improved catalytic reaction efficiency. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for: (1) a method for preparing the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst, which growing coral-like nano-cuprous oxide rods and nano-copper rods on the graphene aerogel by solvothermal method; (2) a gas diffusion electrode comprising a gas diffusion electrode body and the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst, where the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst is attached to the surface of the gas diffusion electrode body, the gas diffusion electrode body is carbon paper, carbon cloth or carbon nanotube sponge, the size of the gas diffusion electrode body is 0.5 cmx0.5 cm-3 cmx3 cm, and the loading amount of the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst on the surface of the gas diffusion electrode body is 0.5-5 mg/cm2; (3) a method for preparing the gas diffusion electrode, which involves coating the dispersion of the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst on the surface of the gas diffusion electrode body, where the preparation of the dispersion liquid of the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst involves dispersing the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst in an alcohol aqueous solution, adding Nafion (RTM: Sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer) solution and ultrasonicating to obtain a catalyst dispersion liquid, the alcohol in the alcohol aqueous solution comprises isopropanol and ethanol, the volume ratio of isopropanol to ethanol is 1:10-10:1, the volume ratio of alcohol to water is 1:10-10:1, the volume ratio of Nafion (RTM: Sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer) solution to water is 1:1-1:10, and the mass concentration of Nafion (RTM: Sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer) solution is 5-10 wt.%, coating the obtained dispersion liquid on the gas diffusion electrode body, and drying under an infrared lamp to obtain the gas diffusion electrode; and (4) a method for electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide, which involves using the gas diffusion electrode as a cathode for electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide, preferably, using a double-chamber electrolytic cell, applying an external voltage, using an aqueous potassium bicarbonate solution as the electrolyte solution, using an H-type double-chamber electrolytic cell, Nafion (RTM: Sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer) proton exchange membrane in the middle, and using the gas diffusion electrode supported by the copper-based graphene aerogel composite catalyst as the working electrode, where the platinum mesh electrode is the counter electrode, the silver/silver chloride electrode is the reference electrode to form a three-electrode system, where the anode and cathode electrolyte solution is 0.1-0.5 mol/l potassium bicarbonate solution, continuously feeding the H-type double-chamber electrolytic cell with carbon dioxide gas during electrocatalysis, feeding carbon dioxide gas to the electrolyte for 30-60 minutes before the reaction is carried out.