Scalable Edge-Oriented Metallic Two-Dimensional Layered Cu<sub>2</sub>Te Arrays for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Methanation
Hongqin Wang, Guangming Zhan, Cun Tang, Di Yang, Wei-Tao Liu, Dongyang Wang, Yunrou Wu, Huan Wang, Kaihui Liu, Jie Li, Ming‐Ju Huang, Ke Chen
Abstract
Copper-based nanomaterials are compelling for high-efficient, low-cost electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) due to their exotic electronic and structural properties. However, controllable preparation of copper-based two-dimensional (2D) materials with abundant catalytically active sites, that guarantee high CO 2 RR performance, remains challenging, especially on a large scale. Here, an in situ vertical growth of scalable metallic 2D Cu 2 Te nanosheet arrays on commercial copper foils is demonstrated for efficient CO 2 -to-CH 4 electrocatalysis. The edge-oriented growth of Cu 2 Te nanosheets with tunable sizes and thicknesses is facilely attained by a two-step process of chemical etching and chemical vapor deposition. These active sites abounding on highly exposed edges of Cu 2 Te nanosheets greatly promote the electroreduction of CO 2 into CH 4 at a potential as low as −0.4 V (versus the reversible hydrogen electrode), while suppressing hydrogen evolution reaction. When a flow cell is employed to accelerate the mass transfer, the faradaic efficiency reaches ∼63% at an applied current density of 300 mA cm –2 . These findings will provide great possibilities for developing scalable, energy-efficient Cu-based CO 2 RR electrocatalysts.