Electrocatalyst transforms CO2 into multicarbon items.
As reported by a team of Chinese researchers in the journal Angewandte Chemie, active copper focused on an amorphous copper/titanium alloy produces ethanol, acetone, and n-butanol with high performance.
The majority of our worldwide energy needs are still being fulfilled by burning nonrenewable fuel sources, which contributes to the greenhouse effect through the release of CO2. To lower international warming, we must search for opportunities to use CO2 as a basic material for fundamental chemicals. Through electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 using renewable energy, a climate-neutral, synthetic carbon cycle could be established. Excess energy produced by photovoltaics and wind energy might be saved through the electrocatalytic production of fuels from CO2. These could then be burned as needed. Because they have high energy density and are safe to shop and transportation, conversion into liquid fuels would be advantageous. The electrocatalytic formation of items with 2 or more carbon atoms (C2+) is very challenging.
Many of our international energy needs are still being satisfied by burning fossil fuels, which contributes to the greenhouse effect through the release of CO2. Through electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 utilizing sustainable energy, a climate-neutral, artificial carbon cycle could be developed. Excess energy produced by photovoltaics and wind energy might be stored through the electrocatalytic production of fuels from CO2. It has catalytically active copper centers with remarkably high activity, selectivity, and stability for the decrease of CO2 to C2+ items (overall faradaic efficiency of about 49 % at 0.8 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode for C2– 4, and it is stable for at least 3 months).
A group from Foshan University (Foshan, Guangdong), the University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, Anhui), and Xian Shiyou University (Xian, Shaanxi), led by Fei Hu, Tingting Kong, Jun Jiang, and Yujie Xiong has actually now developed an unique electrocatalyst that effectively transforms CO2 to liquid fuels with multiple carbon atoms (C2– 4). The primary items are acetone, ethanol, and n-butanol.
To make the electrocatalyst, thin ribbons of a copper/titanium alloy are etched with hydrofluoric acid to eliminate the titanium from the surface area. This results in a material named [e-mail protected], with a porous copper surface area on an amorphous CuTi alloy. It has catalytically active copper centers with extremely high activity, selectivity, and stability for the reduction of CO2 to C2+ items (overall faradaic performance of about 49 % at 0.8 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode for C2– 4, and it is stable for a minimum of 3 months). On the other hand, pure copper foil produces C1 products but hardly any C2+ products.
The response involves a multistep electron-transfer process by means of numerous intermediates. In the brand-new electrocatalyst, the inactive titanium atoms below the surface area really play an important role; they increase the electron density of the Cu atoms on the surface. This stabilizes the adsorption of * CO, the essential intermediate in the formation of multicarbon items, enables high protection of the surface area with * CO, and lowers the energy barrier for di- and trimerization of the * CO as new carbon– carbon bonds are formed.
Reference: “Ultrastable Cu Catalyst for CO2 Electroreduction to Multicarbon Liquid Fuels by Tuning C– C Coupling with CuTi Subsurface” by Prof. Fei Hu, Dr. Li Yang, Yawen Jiang, Dr. Chongxiong Duan, Dr. Xiaonong Wang, Longjiao Zeng, Xuefeng Lv, Delong Duan, Qi Liu, Prof. Tingting Kong, Prof. Jun Jiang, Ran Long and Prof. Yujie Xiong, 1 October 2021, Angewandte Chemie.DOI: 10.1002/ anie.202110303.
Dr. Yujie Xiong is the Chair Professor of Chemistry at the University of Science and Technology of China. His primary specialty is the synthetic carbon cycle.