Efficient electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to C2+ chemicals on internal porous copper
Sha Wang, Jianling Zhang, Lei Yao, Yisen Yang, Lirong Zheng, Bo Guan, Yingzhe Zhao, Yanyue Wang, Buxing Han, Xueqing Xing
Abstract
To improve the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into C2+ products (such as ethylene (C2H4) and ethanol (CH3CH2OH), etc.) is of great importance, but remains challenging. Herein, we proposed a strategy that directs the C-C coupling pathway through enriching and confining the carbon monoxide (CO) intermediate to internal pores of Cu nanocubes, for electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 into C2+ chemicals. In H-type cell, the Faraday efficiency (FE) for ethylene and ethanol reaches 70.3% at −1.28 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (vs. RHE), with a current density of 47.9 mA·cm−2. In flow cell, the total current density is up to 340.3 mA·cm−2 at −2.38 V (vs. RHE) and the FE for C2+ products is 67.4%. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that both the CO intermediate adsorption and C-C coupling reaction on such an internal porous catalyst are facilitated, thus improving CO2-to-C2+ conversion efficiency.