DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.ecat.2023.022
Publication date: 10th October 2023
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas which is driving the climate change. CO2 capture at the emission sources and from air followed by conversion to fuels/chemicals can achieve carbon neutral energy cycle. Electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) is one of the most promising methods for the direct production of fuels and chemicals from waste CO2 and water. eCO2R on copper electrodes favours the production of multi-carbon products including hydrocarbons and oxygenates [1]. The nanostructure engineering and alloying to create a variety of interfaces is a potential route for producing materials with higher catalytic activity and selectivity. Gas diffusion electrode further improved mass transfer of CO2 to reaction interface resulted in enhanced selectivity for carbonaceous products. High alkalinity with OH groups around catalyst surface improved the reaction kinetics and moreover stabilize the catalyst surface oxygen during the reduction process. Stability of GDE was improved by tuning hydrophobicity of catalyst and gas diffusion layers. Multi-carbon products, C2 and C3, were synthesised with bi-metallic Cu-Ag prepared by electrochemical spontaneous deposition of Ag on Cu2O nanoparticles [2,3]. From the density functional theory (DFT) analysis, Ag promotes Cu atoms migration towards the surface of the electrode, which seems to adsorb generated CO for the further reduction process to produce higher carbonaceous products (Figure 1). GDE is a promising technology for Sustainability development.
The authors would like to acknowledge the support from the UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy (EP/V011863/1), EPSRC LifesCO2R project (EP/N009746/1 EP/N009746/2) and EPSRC NECEM Energy Material Centre (EP/R021503/1). Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre Pump Prime grant which enabled the access to the characterisation facilities is also acknowledged.
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