Metallic tin quantum sheets confined in graphene toward high-efficiency carbon dioxide electroreduction

Fengcai Lei, Wei Liu, Yongfu Sun (), Jiaqi Xu, Katong Liu, Liang Liang, Tao Yao (), Bicai Pan, Shiqiang Wei and Yi Xie ()
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Fengcai Lei: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science & Technology of China
Wei Liu: National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China
Yongfu Sun: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science & Technology of China
Jiaqi Xu: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science & Technology of China
Katong Liu: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science & Technology of China
Liang Liang: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science & Technology of China
Tao Yao: National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China
Bicai Pan: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science & Technology of China
Shiqiang Wei: National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China
Yi Xie: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science & Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Ultrathin metal layers can be highly active carbon dioxide electroreduction catalysts, but may also be prone to oxidation. Here we construct a model of graphene confined ultrathin layers of highly reactive metals, taking the synthetic highly reactive tin quantum sheets confined in graphene as an example. The higher electrochemical active area ensures 9 times larger carbon dioxide adsorption capacity relative to bulk tin, while the highly-conductive graphene favours rate-determining electron transfer from carbon dioxide to its radical anion. The lowered tin–tin coordination numbers, revealed by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, enable tin quantum sheets confined in graphene to efficiently stabilize the carbon dioxide radical anion, verified by 0.13 volts lowered potential of hydroxyl ion adsorption compared with bulk tin. Hence, the tin quantum sheets confined in graphene show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability. This work may provide a promising lead for designing efficient and robust catalysts for electrolytic fuel synthesis.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12697

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