The　electrochemical　CO2　reduction　reaction　(CO2RR)　provides　a　promising　approach　to　mitigate　the　global　greenhouse　effect　by　converting　CO2　into　high-value　chemicals　or　fuels.　Noble　metal-based　nanomaterials　are　widely　regarded　as　efficient　catalysts　for　CO2RR　due　to　their　high　catalytic　activity　and　excellent　stability.　However,　these　catalysts　typically　favor　the　formation　of　C1　products,　which　have　relatively　low　economic　value.　Moreover,　the　high　cost　and　limited　availability　of　noble　materials　necessitate　strategies　to　reduce　their　usage,　often　by　dispersing　them　on　suitable　support　materials　to　enhance　catalytic　performance.　In　this　study,　a　novel　metal-based　support,　zirconium　phosphate　Zr3(PO4)4,　was　used　to　anchor　ultrasmall　palladium　nanoparticles　(pre-ZrP-Pd).　Compared　to　the　reversible　hydrogen　electrode,　the　pre-ZrP-Pd　achieved　a　maximum　Faradaic　efficiency　(FE)　of　92.1%　for　ethanol　at　−0.8　V　versus　RHE,　along　with　a　peak　ethanol　current　density　of　0.82　mA/cm2.　Density　functional　theory　(DFT)　calculations　revealed　that　the　strong　metal-support　interactions　between　the　ZrP　support　and　Pd　nanoparticles　lead　to　an　upward　shift　of　the　Pd　d-band　center,　enhancing　the　adsorption　of　CO*　and　promoting　the　coupling　of　CO　and　CO　to　produce　ethanol.　©　Higher　Education　Press　2025.