Efficient upgrading of CO to C3 fuel using asymmetric C-C coupling active sites

Xue Wang, Ziyun Wang, Tao-Tao Zhuang, Cao-Thang Dinh, Jun Li, Dae-Hyun Nam, Fengwang Li, Chun-Wei Huang, Chih-Shan Tan, Zitao Chen, Miaofang Chi, Christine M. Gabardo, Ali Seifitokaldani, Petar Todorović, Andrew Proppe, Yuanjie Pang, Ahmad R. Kirmani, Yuhang Wang, Alexander H. Ip, Lee J. Richter, Benjamin Scheffel, Aoni Xu, Shen-Chuan Lo, Shana O. Kelley, David Sinton and Edward H. Sargent ()
Additional contact information
Xue Wang: University of Toronto
Ziyun Wang: University of Toronto
Tao-Tao Zhuang: University of Toronto
Cao-Thang Dinh: University of Toronto
Jun Li: University of Toronto
Dae-Hyun Nam: University of Toronto
Fengwang Li: University of Toronto
Chun-Wei Huang: Industrial Technology Research Institute
Chih-Shan Tan: University of Toronto
Zitao Chen: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Miaofang Chi: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Christine M. Gabardo: University of Toronto
Ali Seifitokaldani: University of Toronto
Petar Todorović: University of Toronto
Andrew Proppe: University of Toronto
Yuanjie Pang: University of Toronto
Ahmad R. Kirmani: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Yuhang Wang: University of Toronto
Alexander H. Ip: University of Toronto
Lee J. Richter: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Benjamin Scheffel: University of Toronto
Aoni Xu: University of Toronto
Shen-Chuan Lo: Industrial Technology Research Institute
Shana O. Kelley: University of Toronto
David Sinton: University of Toronto
Edward H. Sargent: University of Toronto

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract The electroreduction of C1 feedgas to high-energy-density fuels provides an attractive avenue to the storage of renewable electricity. Much progress has been made to improve selectivity to C1 and C2 products, however, the selectivity to desirable high-energy-density C3 products remains relatively low. We reason that C3 electrosynthesis relies on a higher-order reaction pathway that requires the formation of multiple carbon-carbon (C-C) bonds, and thus pursue a strategy explicitly designed to couple C2 with C1 intermediates. We develop an approach wherein neighboring copper atoms having distinct electronic structures interact with two adsorbates to catalyze an asymmetric reaction. We achieve a record n-propanol Faradaic efficiency (FE) of (33 ± 1)% with a conversion rate of (4.5 ± 0.1) mA cm−2, and a record n-propanol cathodic energy conversion efficiency (EEcathodic half-cell) of 21%. The FE and EEcathodic half-cell represent a 1.3× improvement relative to previously-published CO-to-n-propanol electroreduction reports.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13190-6

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