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In situ copper faceting enables efficient CO2/CO electrolysis

Author

Listed:
  • Kaili Yao

    (Tianjin University
    Kunming University of Science and Technology)

  • Jun Li

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Adnan Ozden

    (University of Toronto)

  • Haibin Wang

    (Tianjin University)

  • Ning Sun

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Pengyu Liu

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Wen Zhong

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Wei Zhou

    (Tianjin University)

  • Jieshu Zhou

    (Tianjin University)

  • Xi Wang

    (Tianjin University)

  • Hanqi Liu

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Yongchang Liu

    (Tianjin University
    Tianjin University)

  • Songhua Chen

    (Longyan University)

  • Yongfeng Hu

    (Sinopec Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology)

  • Ziyun Wang

    (The University of Auckland)

  • David Sinton

    (University of Toronto)

  • Hongyan Liang

    (Tianjin University)

Abstract

The copper (Cu)-catalyzed electrochemical CO2 reduction provides a route for the synthesis of multicarbon (C2+) products. However, the thermodynamically favorable Cu surface (i.e. Cu(111)) energetically favors single-carbon production, leading to low energy efficiency and low production rates for C2+ products. Here we introduce in situ copper faceting from electrochemical reduction to enable preferential exposure of Cu(100) facets. During the precatalyst evolution, a phosphate ligand slows the reduction of Cu and assists the generation and co-adsorption of CO and hydroxide ions, steering the surface reconstruction to Cu (100). The resulting Cu catalyst enables current densities of > 500 mA cm−2 and Faradaic efficiencies of >83% towards C2+ products from both CO2 reduction and CO reduction. When run at 500 mA cm−2 for 150 hours, the catalyst maintains a 37% full-cell energy efficiency and a 95% single-pass carbon efficiency throughout.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaili Yao & Jun Li & Adnan Ozden & Haibin Wang & Ning Sun & Pengyu Liu & Wen Zhong & Wei Zhou & Jieshu Zhou & Xi Wang & Hanqi Liu & Yongchang Liu & Songhua Chen & Yongfeng Hu & Ziyun Wang & David Sint, 2024. "In situ copper faceting enables efficient CO2/CO electrolysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-45538-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45538-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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