CO2 reduction to formic acid at low overpotential on BDD electrodes modified with nanostructured CeO2

Hierarchical Cu pillar electrodes have shown enhanced electrochemical performance for CO2 reduction due to their increased surface area and controlled lattice property.

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Quasi-graphitic carbon shell-induced Cu confinement promotes electrocatalytic CO2 reduction toward C2+ products

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-24105-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ji-Yong Kim ◽

Deokgi Hong ◽

Jae-Chan Lee ◽

Hyoung Gyun Kim ◽

Sungwoo Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Efficiency ◽

Co2 Reduction ◽

Value Added ◽

Material Design ◽

Catalyst System ◽

Critical Issue ◽

Reduction Reaction ◽

Catalyst Design ◽

Design Strategies ◽

Faradaic Efficiency

AbstractFor steady electroconversion to value-added chemical products with high efficiency, electrocatalyst reconstruction during electrochemical reactions is a critical issue in catalyst design strategies. Here, we report a reconstruction-immunized catalyst system in which Cu nanoparticles are protected by a quasi-graphitic C shell. This C shell epitaxially grew on Cu with quasi-graphitic bonding via a gas–solid reaction governed by the CO (g) - CO2 (g) - C (s) equilibrium. The quasi-graphitic C shell-coated Cu was stable during the CO2 reduction reaction and provided a platform for rational material design. C2+ product selectivity could be additionally improved by doping p-block elements. These elements modulated the electronic structure of the Cu surface and its binding properties, which can affect the intermediate binding and CO dimerization barrier. B-modified Cu attained a 68.1% Faradaic efficiency for C2H4 at −0.55 V (vs RHE) and a C2H4 cathodic power conversion efficiency of 44.0%. In the case of N-modified Cu, an improved C2+ selectivity of 82.3% at a partial current density of 329.2 mA/cm2 was acquired. Quasi-graphitic C shells, which enable surface stabilization and inner element doping, can realize stable CO2-to-C2H4 conversion over 180 h and allow practical application of electrocatalysts for renewable energy conversion.

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A high throughput optical method for studying compositional effects in electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-21342-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jeremy L. Hitt ◽

Yuguang C. Li ◽

Songsheng Tao ◽

Zhifei Yan ◽

Yue Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Evolution ◽

High Throughput ◽

High Throughput Screening ◽

Screening Method ◽

Co2 Reduction ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Faradaic Efficiency ◽

Atomic Pair Distribution Function ◽

Earth Abundant ◽

Ternary Catalysts

AbstractIn the problem of electrochemical CO2 reduction, the discovery of earth-abundant, efficient, and selective catalysts is essential to enabling technology that can contribute to a carbon-neutral energy cycle. In this study, we adapt an optical high throughput screening method to study multi-metallic catalysts for CO2 electroreduction. We demonstrate the utility of the method by constructing catalytic activity maps of different alloyed elements and use X-ray scattering analysis by the atomic pair distribution function (PDF) method to gain insight into the structures of the most active compositions. Among combinations of four elements (Au, Ag, Cu, Zn), Au6Ag2Cu2 and Au4Zn3Cu3 were identified as the most active compositions in their respective ternaries. These ternary electrocatalysts were more active than any binary combination, and a ca. 5-fold increase in current density at potentials of −0.4 to −0.8 V vs. RHE was obtained for the best ternary catalysts relative to Au prepared by the same method. Tafel plots of electrochemical data for CO2 reduction and hydrogen evolution indicate that the ternary catalysts, despite their higher surface area, are poorer catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction than pure Au. This results in high Faradaic efficiency for CO2 reduction to CO.

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Selective and Low Overpotential Electrochemical CO2 Reduction to Formate on CuS Decorated CuO Heterostructure

Catalysis Letters ◽

10.1007/s10562-019-02657-2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 149 (3) ◽

pp. 860-869 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Amaha Woldu Kahsay ◽

Kassa Belay Ibrahim ◽

Meng-Che Tsai ◽

Mulatu Kassie Birhanu ◽

Soressa Abera Chala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Co2 Reduction ◽

Electrochemical Co2 Reduction ◽

Low Overpotential

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Surface-reconstructed Cu electrode via a facile electrochemical anodization-reduction process for low overpotential CO2 reduction

Journal of Saudi Chemical Society ◽

10.1016/j.jscs.2017.03.003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 708-712 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shixiong Min ◽

Xiulin Yang ◽

Ang-Yu Lu ◽

Chien-Chih Tseng ◽

M.N. Hedhili ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Co2 Reduction ◽

Reduction Process ◽

Electrochemical Anodization ◽

Low Overpotential

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CuZnAl-Oxide Nanopyramidal Mesoporous Materials for the Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Syngas: Tuning of H2/CO Ratio

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano11113052 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 3052

Author(s):

Hilmar Guzmán ◽

Daniela Roldán ◽

Adriano Sacco ◽

Micaela Castellino ◽

Marco Fontana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Noble Metals ◽

Co2 Reduction ◽

Reduction Process ◽

Mesoporous Structure ◽

Catalytic Performance ◽

H2 Production ◽

Ambient Conditions ◽

Transfer Resistance ◽

Faradaic Efficiency ◽

Co2 Electroreduction

Inspired by the knowledge of the thermocatalytic CO2 reduction process, novel nanocrystalline CuZnAl-oxide based catalysts with pyramidal mesoporous structures are here proposed for the CO2 electrochemical reduction under ambient conditions. The XPS analyses revealed that the co-presence of ZnO and Al2O3 into the Cu-based catalyst stabilize the CuO crystalline structure and introduce basic sites on the ternary as-synthesized catalyst. In contrast, the as-prepared CuZn- and Cu-based materials contain a higher amount of superficial Cu0 and Cu1+ species. The CuZnAl-catalyst exhibited enhanced catalytic performance for the CO and H2 production, reaching a Faradaic efficiency (FE) towards syngas of almost 95% at −0.89 V vs. RHE and a remarkable current density of up to 90 mA cm−2 for the CO2 reduction at −2.4 V vs. RHE. The physico-chemical characterizations confirmed that the pyramidal mesoporous structure of this material, which is constituted by a high pore volume and small CuO crystals, plays a fundamental role in its low diffusional mass-transfer resistance. The CO-productivity on the CuZnAl-catalyst increased at more negative applied potentials, leading to the production of syngas with a tunable H2/CO ratio (from 2 to 7), depending on the applied potential. These results pave the way to substitute state-of-the-art noble metals (e.g., Ag, Au) with this abundant and cost-effective catalyst to produce syngas. Moreover, the post-reaction analyses demonstrated the stabilization of Cu2O species, avoiding its complete reduction to Cu0 under the CO2 electroreduction conditions.

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Nanoporous Cu/Ni oxide composites: efficient catalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO2in aqueous electrolytes

Green Chemistry ◽

10.1039/c8gc01552j ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (16) ◽

pp. 3705-3710 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Dexin Yang ◽

Qinggong Zhu ◽

Xiaofu Sun ◽

Chunjun Chen ◽

Lu Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Formic Acid ◽

Electrochemical Reduction ◽

Aqueous Electrolyte ◽

Aqueous Electrolytes ◽

Reduction Activity ◽

Low Overpotential ◽

Oxide Composites ◽

Ni Oxide

Nanoporous Cu/Ni oxide composites can improve CO2reduction activity for producing formic acid in an aqueous electrolyte with a low overpotential.

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Sn-Based Electrocatalyst Stability: A Crucial Piece to the Puzzle for the Electrochemical CO2 Reduction toward Formic Acid

ACS Energy Letters ◽

10.1021/acsenergylett.1c02049 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 4317-4327

Author(s):

Kevin Van Daele ◽

Bert De Mot ◽

Marilia Pupo ◽

Nick Daems ◽

Deepak Pant ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Formic Acid ◽

Co2 Reduction ◽

Electrochemical Co2 Reduction

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A GaN:Sn nanoarchitecture integrated on a silicon platform for converting CO2 to HCOOH by photoelectrocatalysis

Energy & Environmental Science ◽

10.1039/c9ee01339c ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 2842-2848 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Baowen Zhou ◽

Xianghua Kong ◽

Srinivas Vanka ◽

Shaobo Cheng ◽

Nick Pant ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Formic Acid ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Reaction Path ◽

Planar Silicon ◽

Low Overpotential ◽

Favorable Reaction

A unique GaN:Sn nanoarchitecture is integrated on planar silicon to demonstrate an energetically favorable reaction path for aqueous photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction towards formic acid with high efficiency at low overpotential.

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