Weak CO binding sites induced by Cu–Ag interfaces promote CO electroreduction to multi-carbon liquid products

Jing Li, Haocheng Xiong, Xiaozhi Liu, Donghuan Wu, Dong Su, Bingjun Xu and Qi Lu ()
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Jing Li: Tsinghua University
Haocheng Xiong: Tsinghua University
Xiaozhi Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Donghuan Wu: Tsinghua University
Dong Su: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bingjun Xu: Peking University
Qi Lu: Tsinghua University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Electrochemical reduction of carbon monoxide to high-value multi-carbon (C2+) products offers an appealing route to store sustainable energy and make use of the chief greenhouse gas leading to climate change, i.e., CO2. Among potential products, C2+ liquid products such as ethanol are of particular interest owing to their high energy density and industrial relevance. In this work, we demonstrate that Ag-modified oxide-derive Cu catalysts prepared via high-energy ball milling exhibit near 80% Faradaic efficiencies for C2+ liquid products at commercially relevant current densities (>100 mA cm−2) in the CO electroreduction in a microfluidic flow cell. Such performance is retained in an over 100-hour electrolysis in a 100 cm2 membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzer. A method based on surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy is developed to characterize the CO binding strength on the catalyst surface. The lower C and O affinities of the Cu–Ag interfacial sites in the prepared catalysts are proposed to be responsible for the enhanced selectivity for C2+ oxygenates, which is the experimental verification of recent computational predictions.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36411-5

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