Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compounds

Abstract The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is promising for practical applications of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to multi-carbon (C2+) compounds. Water management is crucial in the MEA electrolyser without catholyte, but few studies have clarified whether the co-feeding...

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Main Authors: Xiaoyang He, Li Lin, Xiangying Li, Minzhi Zhu, Qinghong Zhang, Shunji Xie, Bingbao Mei, Fanfei Sun, Zheng Jiang, Jun Cheng, Ye Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54282-2
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author Xiaoyang He
Li Lin
Xiangying Li
Minzhi Zhu
Qinghong Zhang
Shunji Xie
Bingbao Mei
Fanfei Sun
Zheng Jiang
Jun Cheng
Ye Wang
author_facet Xiaoyang He
Li Lin
Xiangying Li
Minzhi Zhu
Qinghong Zhang
Shunji Xie
Bingbao Mei
Fanfei Sun
Zheng Jiang
Jun Cheng
Ye Wang
author_sort Xiaoyang He
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is promising for practical applications of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to multi-carbon (C2+) compounds. Water management is crucial in the MEA electrolyser without catholyte, but few studies have clarified whether the co-feeding water in cathode can enhance C2+ formation. Here, we report our discovery of pivotal roles of a suitable nanocomposite electrocatalyst with abundant Cu2O−Cu0 interfaces in accomplishing water-promoting effect on C2+ formation, achieving a current density of 1.0 A cm−2 and a 19% single-pass C2+ yield at 80% C2+ Faradaic efficiency in MEA. The operando characterizations confirm the co-existence of Cu+ with Cu0 during CO2RR at ampere-level current densities. Our studies reveal that Cu+ works for water activation and aids C‒C coupling by enhancing formations of adsorbed CO and CHO species. This work offers a strategy to boost CO2RR to C2+ compounds in industrial-relevant MEA by combining water management and electrocatalyst design.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-e0b2b7becd8b49eea9e67cbe42802d7b2024-11-17T12:37:15ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-11-0115111210.1038/s41467-024-54282-2Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compoundsXiaoyang He0Li Lin1Xiangying Li2Minzhi Zhu3Qinghong Zhang4Shunji Xie5Bingbao Mei6Fanfei Sun7Zheng Jiang8Jun Cheng9Ye Wang10State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityShanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen UniversityAbstract The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is promising for practical applications of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to multi-carbon (C2+) compounds. Water management is crucial in the MEA electrolyser without catholyte, but few studies have clarified whether the co-feeding water in cathode can enhance C2+ formation. Here, we report our discovery of pivotal roles of a suitable nanocomposite electrocatalyst with abundant Cu2O−Cu0 interfaces in accomplishing water-promoting effect on C2+ formation, achieving a current density of 1.0 A cm−2 and a 19% single-pass C2+ yield at 80% C2+ Faradaic efficiency in MEA. The operando characterizations confirm the co-existence of Cu+ with Cu0 during CO2RR at ampere-level current densities. Our studies reveal that Cu+ works for water activation and aids C‒C coupling by enhancing formations of adsorbed CO and CHO species. This work offers a strategy to boost CO2RR to C2+ compounds in industrial-relevant MEA by combining water management and electrocatalyst design.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54282-2
spellingShingle Xiaoyang He
Li Lin
Xiangying Li
Minzhi Zhu
Qinghong Zhang
Shunji Xie
Bingbao Mei
Fanfei Sun
Zheng Jiang
Jun Cheng
Ye Wang
Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compounds
Nature Communications
title Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compounds
title_full Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compounds
title_fullStr Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compounds
title_full_unstemmed Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compounds
title_short Roles of copper(I) in water-promoted CO2 electrolysis to multi-carbon compounds
title_sort roles of copper i in water promoted co2 electrolysis to multi carbon compounds
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54282-2
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