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Kastlunger G, Vijay S, Chen X, Sharma S, Peterson A. On the Thermodynamic Equivalence of Grand Canonical, Infinite-Size, and Capacitor-Based Models in First-Principle Electrochemistry. Chemphyschem 2024; 25:e202300950. [PMID: 38511569 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202300950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
First principles-based computational and theoretical methods are constantly evolving trying to overcome the many obstacles towards a comprehensive understanding of electrochemical processes on an atomistic level. One of the major challenges has been the determination of reaction energetics under a constant potential. Here, a theoretical framework was proposed applying standard electronic structure methods and extrapolating to the infinite-cell size limit where reactions do not alter the potential. Today, electronically grand canonical modifications to electronic structure methods, holding the potential constant by varying the number of electrons in a finite simulation cell, become increasingly popular. In this perspective, we show that these two schemes are thermodynamically equivalent. Further, we link these methods to capacitive models of the interface, in the limit that the capacitance of the charging components (whether continuum or atomistic) are equal and invariant along the reaction pathway. We benchmark the three approaches with an example of alkali cation adsorption on Pt(111) showing that all three approaches converge in the cases of Li, Na and K. For Cs, however, strong deviation from the ideal conditions leads to a spread in the respective results. We discuss the latter by highlighting the cases of broken equivalence and assumptions among the approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Kastlunger
- Catalysis Theory Center, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sudarshan Vijay
- Catalysis Theory Center, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Xi Chen
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Hope Street, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Shubham Sharma
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Hope Street, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Andrew Peterson
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Hope Street, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark
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2
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Wu W, Xu L, Lu Q, Sun J, Xu Z, Song C, Yu JC, Wang Y. Addressing the Carbonate Issue: Electrocatalysts for Acidic CO 2 Reduction Reaction. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2312894. [PMID: 38722084 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) powered by renewable energy provides a promising route to CO2 conversion and utilization. However, the widely used neutral/alkaline electrolyte consumes a large amount of CO2 to produce (bi)carbonate byproducts, leading to significant challenges at the device level, thereby impeding the further deployment of this reaction. Conducting CO2RR in acidic electrolytes offers a promising solution to address the "carbonate issue"; however, it presents inherent difficulties due to the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction, necessitating concerted efforts toward advanced catalyst and electrode designs to achieve high selectivity and activity. This review encompasses recent developments of acidic CO2RR, from mechanism elucidation to catalyst design and device engineering. This review begins by discussing the mechanistic understanding of the reaction pathway, laying the foundation for catalyst design in acidic CO2RR. Subsequently, an in-depth analysis of recent advancements in acidic CO2RR catalysts is provided, highlighting heterogeneous catalysts, surface immobilized molecular catalysts, and catalyst surface enhancement. Furthermore, the progress made in device-level applications is summarized, aiming to develop high-performance acidic CO2RR systems. Finally, the existing challenges and future directions in the design of acidic CO2RR catalysts are outlined, emphasizing the need for improved selectivity, activity, stability, and scalability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixing Wu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
| | - Liangpang Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
| | - Qian Lu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
| | - Jiping Sun
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
| | - Zhanyou Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
| | - Chunshan Song
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
| | - Jimmy C Yu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S. A. R., China
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3
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Wu Y, Fan N, Wei Z, Shen J, Chen C, Xu B, Peng Y, Shen M, Fan R. Sulfidation-Induced Surface Local Electronic and Atomic Structures in a Silver Catalyst Enables Silicon Photocathode for Selective and Efficient Photoelectrochemical CO 2 Reduction. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:21868-21876. [PMID: 38637014 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c01556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Converting CO2 to value-added chemicals through a photoelectrochemical (PEC) system is a creative approach toward renewable energy utilization and storage. However, the rational design of appropriate catalysts while being effectively integrated with semiconductor photoelectrodes remains a considerable challenge for achieving single-carbon products with high efficiency. Herein, we demonstrate a novel sulfidation-induced strategy for in situ grown sulfide-derived Ag nanowires on a Si photocathode (denoted as SD-Ag/Si) based on the standard crystalline Si solar cells. Such an exquisite design of the SD-Ag/Si photocathode not only provides a large electrochemically active surface area but also endows abundant active sites of Ag2S/Ag interfaces and high-index Ag facets for PEC CO production. The optimized SD-Ag/Si photocathode displays an ideal CO Faradic efficiency of 95.2% and an onset potential of +0.26 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, ascribed to the sulfidation-induced synergistic effect of the surface atomic arrangement and electronic structure in Ag catalysts that promote charge transfer, facilitate CO2 adsorption and activation, and suppress hydrogen evolution reaction. This sulfidation-induced strategy represents a scalable approach for designing high-performance catalysts for electrochemical and PEC devices with efficient CO2 utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuquan Wu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Ningbo Fan
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Zhihe Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Soochow Institute of Energy and Material Innovations, College of Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Junxia Shen
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Cong Chen
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Bin Xu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Yang Peng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Soochow Institute of Energy and Material Innovations, College of Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Mingrong Shen
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Ronglei Fan
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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4
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Hsu YS, Rathnayake ST, Waegele MM. Cation effects in hydrogen evolution and CO2-to-CO conversion: A critical perspective. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:160901. [PMID: 38651806 DOI: 10.1063/5.0201751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The rates of many electrocatalytic reactions can be strongly affected by the structure and dynamics of the electrochemical double layer, which in turn can be tuned by the concentration and identity of the supporting electrolyte's cation. The effect of cations on an electrocatalytic process depends on a complex interplay between electrolyte components, electrode material and surface structure, applied electrode potential, and reaction intermediates. Although cation effects remain insufficiently understood, the principal mechanisms underlying cation-dependent reactivity and selectivity are beginning to emerge. In this Perspective, we summarize and critically examine recent advances in this area in the context of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and CO2-to-CO conversion, which are among the most intensively studied and promising electrocatalytic reactions for the sustainable production of commodity chemicals and fuels. Improving the kinetics of the HER in base and enabling energetically efficient and selective CO2 reduction at low pH are key challenges in electrocatalysis. The physical insights from the recent literature illustrate how cation effects can be utilized to help achieve these goals and to steer other electrocatalytic processes of technological relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Shen Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
| | - Sachinthya T Rathnayake
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
| | - Matthias M Waegele
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
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5
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Vos R, Koper MTM. Nickel as Electrocatalyst for CO (2) Reduction: Effect of Temperature, Potential, Partial Pressure, and Electrolyte Composition. ACS Catal 2024; 14:4432-4440. [PMID: 38601778 PMCID: PMC11002821 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.4c00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemical CO2 reduction on Ni has recently been shown to have the unique ability to produce longer hydrocarbon chains in small but measurable amounts. However, the effects of the many parameters of this reaction remain to be studied in more detail. Here, we have investigated the effect of temperature, bulk CO2 concentration, potential, the reactant, cations, and anions on the formation of hydrocarbons via a chain growth mechanism on Ni. We show that temperature increases the activity but also the formation of coke, which deactivates the catalyst. The selectivity and thus the chain growth probability is mainly affected by the potential and the electrolyte composition. Remarkably, CO reduction shows lower activity but a higher chain growth probability than CO2 reduction. We conclude that hydrogenation is likely to be the rate-determining step and hypothesize that this could happen either by *CO hydrogenation or by termination of the hydrocarbon chain. These insights open the way to further development and optimization of Ni for electrochemical CO2 reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaël
E. Vos
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O.Box 9502, 2300
RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marc T. M. Koper
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O.Box 9502, 2300
RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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6
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Zhang Z, Lu Q, Sun J, Li G, Wu W, Xu Z, Xu L, Wang Y. Unravelling the carbonate issue through the regulation of mass transport and charge transfer in mild acid. Chem Sci 2024; 15:2786-2791. [PMID: 38404394 PMCID: PMC10882487 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06583a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) triggered by renewable electricity provides a promising route to produce chemical feedstocks and fuels with low-carbon footprints. The intrinsic challenge for the current CO2RR electrolyzer is the carbonate issue arising from the reaction between hydroxide and CO2. Acid CO2RR electrolyzers, in principle, can effectively solve the carbonate formation, but it remains inevitable practically. In this work, we thoroughly investigated the electrode processes of the CO2RR on the benchmark Ag catalyst in mild acid. The root of the carbonate issue arises from the imbalanced supply-consumption rate of protons-the electron transfer vs. mass transport. Regulating the hydrodynamics substantially reduces the proton diffusion length by 80%, increasing the single-pass carbon utilization efficiency of CO2-to-CO to 44% at -100 mA cm-2. The fundamental difference between mass transport and electron transfer on the spatial and temporal scale still leads to unavoidable carbonate formation. Future work to design intrinsically active catalysts in strong acid or metal-cation-free media is critical to solving the carbonate issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongshuo Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
| | - Qian Lu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, UNIST-NUIST Environment and Energy Jointed Lab, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Nanjing P. R. China
| | - Jiping Sun
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University Changsha P. R. China
| | - Guangchao Li
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University Changsha P. R. China
| | - Weixing Wu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
| | - Zhanyou Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
| | - Liangpang Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, S. A. R. China
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7
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Chen C, Jin H, Wang P, Sun X, Jaroniec M, Zheng Y, Qiao SZ. Local reaction environment in electrocatalysis. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:2022-2055. [PMID: 38204405 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00669g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Beyond conventional electrocatalyst engineering, recent studies have unveiled the effectiveness of manipulating the local reaction environment in enhancing the performance of electrocatalytic reactions. The general principles and strategies of local environmental engineering for different electrocatalytic processes have been extensively investigated. This review provides a critical appraisal of the recent advancements in local reaction environment engineering, aiming to comprehensively assess this emerging field. It presents the interactions among surface structure, ions distribution and local electric field in relation to the local reaction environment. Useful protocols such as the interfacial reactant concentration, mass transport rate, adsorption/desorption behaviors, and binding energy are in-depth discussed toward modifying the local reaction environment. Meanwhile, electrode physical structures and reaction cell configurations are viable optimization methods in engineering local reaction environments. In combination with operando investigation techniques, we conclude that rational modifications of the local reaction environment can significantly enhance various electrocatalytic processes by optimizing the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the reaction interface. We also outline future research directions to attain a comprehensive understanding and effective modulation of the local reaction environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaojie Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
| | - Huanyu Jin
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
| | - Pengtang Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
| | - Xiaogang Sun
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
| | - Mietek Jaroniec
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - Yao Zheng
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
| | - Shi-Zhang Qiao
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
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8
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Wu Q, Dai C, Meng F, Jiao Y, Xu ZJ. Potential and electric double-layer effect in electrocatalytic urea synthesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1095. [PMID: 38321031 PMCID: PMC10847171 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45522-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Electrochemical synthesis is a promising way for sustainable urea production, yet the exact mechanism has not been fully revealed. Herein, we explore the mechanism of electrochemical coupling of nitrite and carbon dioxide on Cu surfaces towards urea synthesis on the basis of a constant-potential method combined with an implicit solvent model. The working electrode potential, which has normally overlooked, is found influential on both the reaction mechanism and activity. The further computational study on the reaction pathways reveals that *CO-NH and *NH-CO-NH as the key intermediates. In addition, through the analysis of turnover frequencies under various potentials, pressures, and temperatures within a microkinetic model, we demonstrate that the activity increases with temperature, and the Cu(100) shows the highest efficiency towards urea synthesis among all three Cu surfaces. The electric double-layer capacitance also plays a key role in urea synthesis. Based on these findings, we propose two essential strategies to promote the efficiency of urea synthesis on Cu electrodes: increasing Cu(100) surface ratio and elevating the reaction temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wu
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Chencheng Dai
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- The Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore, 1 CREATE way, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Fanxu Meng
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Yan Jiao
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Zhichuan J Xu
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
- The Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore, 1 CREATE way, Singapore, 138602, Singapore.
- Energy Research Institute @ Nanyang Technological University, ERI@N, Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
- Center for Advanced Catalysis Science and Technology, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
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Xu P, Wang R, Zhang H, Carnevale V, Borguet E, Suntivich J. Cation Modifies Interfacial Water Structures on Platinum during Alkaline Hydrogen Electrocatalysis. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:2426-2434. [PMID: 38228289 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The molecular details of an electrocatalytic interface play an essential role in the production of sustainable fuels and value-added chemicals. Many electrochemical reactions exhibit strong cation-dependent activities, but how cations affect reaction kinetics is still elusive. We report the effect of cations (K+, Li+, and Ba2+) on the interfacial water structure using second-harmonic generation (SHG) and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The second- (χH2O(2)) and third-order (χH2O(3)) optical susceptibilities of water on Pt are smaller in the presence of Ba2+ compared to those of K+, suggesting that cations can affect the interfacial water orientation. MD simulation reproduces experimental SHG observations and further shows that the competition between cation hydration and interfacial water alignment governs the net water orientation. The impact of cations on interfacial water supports a cation hydration-mediated mechanism for hydrogen electrocatalysis; i.e., the reaction occurs via water dissociation followed by cation-assisted hydroxide/water exchange on Pt. Our study highlights the role of interfacial water in electrocatalysis and how innocent additives (such as cations) can affect the local electrochemical environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengtao Xu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
| | - Ruiyu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
- Center for Complex Materials from First-Principles (CCM), Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Haojian Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
| | - Vincenzo Carnevale
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Eric Borguet
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
- Center for Complex Materials from First-Principles (CCM), Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Jin Suntivich
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
- Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
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10
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Trogadas P, Xu L, Coppens M. From Biomimicking to Bioinspired Design of Electrocatalysts for CO 2 Reduction to C 1 Products. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202314446. [PMID: 37795670 PMCID: PMC10962605 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202314446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2 RR) is a promising approach to maintain a carbon cycle balance and produce value-added chemicals. However, CO2 RR technology is far from mature, since the conventional CO2 RR electrocatalysts suffer from low activity (leading to currents <10 mA cm-2 in an H-cell), stability (<120 h), and selectivity. Hence, they cannot meet the requirements for commercial applications (>200 mA cm-2 , >8000 h, >90 % selectivity). Significant improvements are possible by taking inspiration from nature, considering biological organisms that efficiently catalyze the CO2 to various products. In this minireview, we present recent examples of enzyme-inspired and enzyme-mimicking CO2 RR electrocatalysts enabling the production of C1 products with high faradaic efficiency (FE). At present, these designs do not typically follow a methodical approach, but rather focus on isolated features of biological systems. To achieve disruptive change, we advocate a systematic design methodology that leverages fundamental mechanisms associated with desired properties in nature and adapts them to the context of engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Trogadas
- EPSRC “Frontier Engineering” Centre for Nature Inspired EngineeringDepartment of Chemical EngineeringUniversity College LondonTorrington PlaceLondonWC1E 7JEUnited Kingdom
| | - Linlin Xu
- EPSRC “Frontier Engineering” Centre for Nature Inspired EngineeringDepartment of Chemical EngineeringUniversity College LondonTorrington PlaceLondonWC1E 7JEUnited Kingdom
| | - Marc‐Olivier Coppens
- EPSRC “Frontier Engineering” Centre for Nature Inspired EngineeringDepartment of Chemical EngineeringUniversity College LondonTorrington PlaceLondonWC1E 7JEUnited Kingdom
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11
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Islam SMR, Khezeli F, Ringe S, Plaisance C. An implicit electrolyte model for plane wave density functional theory exhibiting nonlinear response and a nonlocal cavity definition. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:234117. [PMID: 38112507 DOI: 10.1063/5.0176308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We have developed and implemented an implicit electrolyte model in the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) that includes nonlinear dielectric and ionic responses as well as a nonlocal definition of the cavities defining the spatial regions where these responses can occur. The implementation into the existing VASPsol code is numerically efficient and exhibits robust convergence, requiring computational effort only slightly higher than the original linear polarizable continuum model. The nonlinear + nonlocal model is able to reproduce the characteristic "double hump" shape observed experimentally for the differential capacitance of an electrified metal interface while preventing "leakage" of the electrolyte into regions of space too small to contain a single water molecule or solvated ion. The model also gives a reasonable prediction of molecular solvation free energies as well as the self-ionization free energy of water and the absolute electron chemical potential of the standard hydrogen electrode. All of this, combined with the additional ability to run constant potential density functional theory calculations, should enable the routine computation of activation barriers for electrocatalytic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Rezwanul Islam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
| | - Foroogh Khezeli
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
| | - Stefan Ringe
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Craig Plaisance
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
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12
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Qin X, Hansen HA, Honkala K, Melander MM. Cation-induced changes in the inner- and outer-sphere mechanisms of electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7607. [PMID: 37993426 PMCID: PMC10665450 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43300-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The underlying mechanism of cation effects on CO2RR remains debated. Herein, we study cation effects by simulating both outer-sphere electron transfer (OS-ET) and inner-sphere electron transfer (IS-ET) pathways during CO2RR via constrained density functional theory molecular dynamics (cDFT-MD) and slow-growth DFT-MD (SG-DFT-MD), respectively. Our results show without any cations, only OS-ET is feasible with a barrier of 1.21 eV. In the presence of K+ (Li+), OS-ET shows a very high barrier of 2.93 eV (4.15 eV) thus being prohibited. However, cations promote CO2 activation through IS-ET with the barrier of only 0.61 eV (K+) and 0.91 eV (Li+), generating the key intermediate (adsorbed CO[Formula: see text]). Without cations, CO2-to-CO[Formula: see text](ads) conversion cannot proceed. Our findings reveal cation effects arise from short-range Coulomb interactions with reaction intermediates. These results disclose that cations modulate the inner- and outer-sphere pathways of CO2RR, offering substantial insights on the cation specificity in the initial CO2RR steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueping Qin
- Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Anker Engelunds Vej Building 301, Kgs. Lyngby, 2800, Denmark.
| | - Heine A Hansen
- Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Anker Engelunds Vej Building 301, Kgs. Lyngby, 2800, Denmark
| | - Karoliina Honkala
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Marko M Melander
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
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13
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Chen Z, Cao S, Li J, Yang C, Wei S, Liu S, Wang Z, Lu X. N,S coordination in Ni single-atom catalyst promoting CO 2RR towards HCOOH. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:29951-29959. [PMID: 37902067 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03722c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Carbon-based single atom catalysts (SACs) are attracting extensive attention in the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) due to their maximal atomic utilization, easily regulated active center and high catalytic activity, in which the coordination environment plays a crucial role in the intrinsic catalytic activity. Taking NiN4 as an example, this study reveals that the introduction of different numbers of S atoms into N coordination (Ni-NxS4-x (x = 1-4)) results in outstanding structural stability and catalytic activity. Owing to the additional orbitals around -1.60 eV and abundant Ni dxz, dyz, dx2, and dz2 orbital occupation after S substitution, N,S coordination can effectively facilitate the protonation of adsorbed intermediates and thus accelerate the overall CO2RR. The CO2RR mechanisms for CO and HCOOH generation via two-electron pathways are systematically elucidated on NiN4, NiN3S1 and NiN2S2. NiN2S2 yields HCOOH as the most favorable product with a limiting potential of -0.24 V, surpassing NiN4 (-1.14 V) and NiN3S1 (-0.50 V), which indicates that the different S-atom substitution of NiN4 has considerable influence on the CO2RR performance. This work highlights NiN2S2 as a high-performance CO2RR catalyst to produce HCOOH, and demonstrates that N,S coordination is an effective strategy to regulate the performance of atomically dispersed electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengxuan Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China.
| | - Shoufu Cao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China.
| | - Jiao Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China.
| | - Chunyu Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China.
| | - Shuxian Wei
- College of Science, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China
| | - Siyuan Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China.
| | - Zhaojie Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China.
| | - Xiaoqing Lu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580, P. R. China.
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14
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Zhao H, Lv X, Wang Y. Realistic Modeling of the Electrocatalytic Process at Complex Solid-Liquid Interface. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303677. [PMID: 37749877 PMCID: PMC10646274 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The rational design of electrocatalysis has emerged as one of the most thriving means for mitigating energy and environmental crises. The key to this effort is the understanding of the complex electrochemical interface, wherein the electrode potential as well as various internal factors such as H-bond network, adsorbate coverage, and dynamic behavior of the interface collectively contribute to the electrocatalytic activity and selectivity. In this context, the authors have reviewed recent theoretical advances, and especially, the contributions to modeling the realistic electrocatalytic processes at complex electrochemical interfaces, and illustrated the challenges and fundamental problems in this field. Specifically, the significance of the inclusion of explicit solvation and electrode potential as well as the strategies toward the design of highly efficient electrocatalysts are discussed. The structure-activity relationships and their dynamic responses to the environment and catalytic functionality under working conditions are illustrated to be crucial factors for understanding the complexed interface and the electrocatalytic activities. It is hoped that this review can help spark new research passion and ultimately bring a step closer to a realistic and systematic modeling method for electrocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Zhao
- Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of CatalysisSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenGuangdong518055China
| | - Xinmao Lv
- Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of CatalysisSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenGuangdong518055China
| | - Yang‐Gang Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of CatalysisSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenGuangdong518055China
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15
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Khani H, Puente Santiago AR, He T. An Interfacial View of Cation Effects on Electrocatalysis Systems. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202306103. [PMID: 37490318 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202306103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The identity of alkali metal cations in the electrolyte of electrocatalysis systems has been recently introduced as a crucial factor to tailor the kinetics and Faradaic efficiency of many electrocatalytic reactions. In this Minireview, we have summarized the recent advances in the molecular-level understanding of cation effects on relevant electrocatalytic processes such as hydrogen evolution (HER), oxygen evolution (OER), and CO2 electroreduction (CO2 RR) reactions. The discussion covers the effects of electrolyte cations on interfacial electric fields, structural organization of interfacial water molecules, blocking the catalytic active sites, stabilization or destabilization of intermediates, and interfacial pHs. These cation-induced interfacial phenomena have been reported to impact the performance (activity, selectivity, and stability) of electrochemical reactions collaboratively or independently. We describe that although there is almost a general agreement on the relationship between the size of alkali cations and the activities of HER, OER, and CO2 RR, however, the mechanism by which the performance of these electrocatalytic reactions is influenced by alkali metal cations is still in debate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Khani
- Texas Materials Institute and Materials Science and Engineering Program, The, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Alain R Puente Santiago
- Texas Materials Institute and Materials Science and Engineering Program, The, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Tianwei He
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Materials & Technology, National Center for International Research on Photoelectric and Energy Materials, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
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16
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Kim M, Batsa Tetteh E, Krysiak OA, Savan A, Xiao B, Piotrowiak TH, Andronescu C, Ludwig A, Dong Chung T, Schuhmann W. Acidic Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis at High-Entropy Alloys Correlates with its Composition-Dependent Potential of Zero Charge. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202310069. [PMID: 37537136 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202310069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The vast possibilities in the elemental combinations of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) make it essential to discover activity descriptors for establishing rational electrocatalyst design principles. Despite the increasing attention on the potential of zero charge (PZC) of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst, neither the PZC of HEAs nor the impact of the PZC on the HER activity at HEAs has been described. Here, we use scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) to determine the PZC and the HER activities of various elemental compositions of a Pt-Pd-Ru-Ir-Ag thin-film HEA materials library (HEA-ML) with high statistical reliability. Interestingly, the PZC of Pt-Pd-Ru-Ir-Ag is linearly correlated with its composition-weighted average work function. The HER current density in acidic media positively correlates with the PZC, which can be explained by the preconcentration of H+ in the electrical double layer at potentials negative of the PZC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moonjoo Kim
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Emmanuel Batsa Tetteh
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Olga A Krysiak
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Alan Savan
- Chair for Materials Discovery and Interfaces, Institute for Materials, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ruhr University Bochum Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Bin Xiao
- Chair for Materials Discovery and Interfaces, Institute for Materials, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ruhr University Bochum Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Tobias Horst Piotrowiak
- Chair for Materials Discovery and Interfaces, Institute for Materials, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ruhr University Bochum Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Corina Andronescu
- Technical Chemistry III and CENIDE Center for Nanointegration, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Carl-Benz-Straße 199, D-45141, Duisburg, Germany
| | - Alfred Ludwig
- Chair for Materials Discovery and Interfaces, Institute for Materials, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ruhr University Bochum Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
- ZGH, Ruhr, University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Taek Dong Chung
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16229, Republic of Korea
| | - Wolfgang Schuhmann
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
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17
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Qin HG, Du YF, Bai YY, Li FZ, Yue X, Wang H, Peng JZ, Gu J. Surface-immobilized cross-linked cationic polyelectrolyte enables CO 2 reduction with metal cation-free acidic electrolyte. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5640. [PMID: 37704616 PMCID: PMC10499993 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41396-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrochemical CO2 reduction in acidic electrolytes is a promising strategy to achieve high utilization efficiency of CO2. Although alkali cations in acidic electrolytes play a vital role in suppressing hydrogen evolution and promoting CO2 reduction, they also cause precipitation of bicarbonate on the gas diffusion electrode (GDE), flooding of electrolyte through the GDE, and drift of the electrolyte pH. In this work, we realize the electroreduction of CO2 in a metal cation-free acidic electrolyte by covering the catalyst with cross-linked poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride. This polyelectrolyte provides a high density of cationic sites immobilized on the surface of the catalyst, which suppresses the mass transport of H+ and modulates the interfacial field strength. By adopting this strategy, the Faradaic efficiency (FE) of CO reaches 95 ± 3% with the Ag catalyst and the FE of formic acid reaches 76 ± 3% with the In catalyst in a 1.0 pH electrolyte in a flow cell. More importantly, with the metal cation-free acidic electrolyte the amount of electrolyte flooding through the GDE is decreased to 2.5 ± 0.6% of that with alkali cation-containing acidic electrolyte, and the FE of CO maintains above 80% over 36 h of operation at -200 mA·cm-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Gang Qin
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yun-Fan Du
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi-Yang Bai
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Fu-Zhi Li
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xian Yue
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian-Zhao Peng
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Gu
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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18
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Johnson EF, Boutin E, Liu S, Haussener S. Pathways to enhance electrochemical CO 2 reduction identified through direct pore-level modeling. EES CATALYSIS 2023; 1:704-719. [PMID: 38013760 PMCID: PMC10483485 DOI: 10.1039/d3ey00122a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical conversion of CO2 to fuels and valuable products is one pathway to reduce CO2 emissions. Electrolyzers using gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) show much higher current densities than aqueous phase electrolyzers, yet models for multi-physical transport remain relatively undeveloped, often relying on volume-averaged approximations. Many physical phenomena interact inside the GDE, which is a multiphase environment (gaseous reactants and products, liquid electrolyte, and solid catalyst), and a multiscale problem, where "pore-scale" phenomena affect observations at the "macro-scale". We present a direct (not volume-averaged) pore-level transport model featuring a liquid electrolyte domain and a gaseous domain coupled at the liquid-gas interface. Transport is resolved, in 2D, around individual nanoparticles comprising the catalyst layer, including the electric double layer and steric effects. The GDE behavior at the pore-level is studied in detail under various idealized catalyst geometries configurations, showing how the catalyst layer thickness, roughness, and liquid wetting behavior all contribute to (or restrict) the transport necessary for CO2 reduction. The analysis identifies several pathways to enhance GDE performance, opening the possibility for increasing the current density by an order of magnitude or more. The results also suggest that the typical liquid-gas interface in the GDE of experimental demonstrations form a filled front rather than a wetting film, the electrochemical reaction is not taking place at a triple-phase boundary but rather a thicker zone around the triple-phase boundary, the solubility reduction at high electrolyte concentrations is an important contributor to transport limitations, and there is considerable heterogeneity in the use of the catalyst. The model allows unprecedented visualization of the transport dynamics inside the GDE across multiple length scales, making it a key step forward on the path to understanding and enhancing GDEs for electrochemical CO2 reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan F Johnson
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, EPFL, Station 9 1015 Lausanne Switzerland +41 21 693 3878
| | - Etienne Boutin
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, EPFL, Station 9 1015 Lausanne Switzerland +41 21 693 3878
| | - Shuo Liu
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, EPFL, Station 9 1015 Lausanne Switzerland +41 21 693 3878
| | - Sophia Haussener
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, EPFL, Station 9 1015 Lausanne Switzerland +41 21 693 3878
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19
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Huang J, Chen Y, Eikerling M. Correlated surface-charging behaviors of two electrodes in an electrochemical cell. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2307307120. [PMID: 37579163 PMCID: PMC10450406 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307307120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is revealed herein that surface-charging behaviors of the two electrodes constituting an electrochemical cell cannot be described independently by their respective electric double-layer (EDL) properties. Instead, they are correlated in such a way that the surface-charging behavior of each electrode is determined by the EDL and the reaction kinetics at both electrodes. Two fundamental equations describing the correlated surface-charging behaviors are derived, and approximate analytical solutions are obtained at low and high current densities, respectively, to facilitate transparent understanding. Important implications of the presented conceptual analysis for theoretical and computational electrochemistry are discussed. A strategy of modulating the activity of one electrode by tuning EDL parameters of the other in a two-electrode electrochemical cell is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Huang
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research, IEK-13: Theory and Computation of Energy Materials, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425Jülich, Germany
- Theory of Electrocatalytic Interfaces, Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University, 52062Aachen, Germany
| | - Yanxia Chen
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Science at Microscale and Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230026, China
| | - Michael Eikerling
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research, IEK-13: Theory and Computation of Energy Materials, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425Jülich, Germany
- Chair of Theory and Computation of Energy Materials, Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062Aachen, Germany
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20
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Yan J, Ma H, Ni J, Ma J, Xu J, Qi J, Zhu S, Lu L. Engineering iron carbide catalyst with aerophilic and electron-rich surface for improved electrochemical CO 2 reduction. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 648:558-566. [PMID: 37307612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Highly efficient electrocatalyst for carbon dioxide reduction (CO2RR) is desirable for converting CO2 into carbon-based chemicals and reducing anthropogenic carbon emission. Regulating catalyst surface to improve the affinity for CO2 and the capability of CO2 activation is the key to high-efficiency CO2RR. In this work, we develop an iron carbide catalyst encapsulated in nitrogenated carbon (SeN-Fe3C) with an aerophilic and electron-rich surface by inducing preferential formation of pyridinic-N species and engineering more negatively charged Fe sites. The SeN-Fe3C exhibits an excellent CO selectivity with a CO Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 92 % at -0.5 V (vs. RHE) and remarkably enhanced CO partial current density as compared to the N-Fe3C catalyst. Our results demonstrate that Se doping reduces the Fe3C particle size and improves the dispersion of Fe3C on nitrogenated carbon. More importantly, the preferential formation of pyridinic-N species induced by Se doping endows the SeN-Fe3C with an aerophilic surface and improves the affinity of the SeN-Fe3C for CO2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the electron-rich surface, which is caused by pyridinic N species and much more negatively charged Fe sites, leads to a high degree of polarization and activation of CO2 molecule, thus conferring a remarkably improved CO2RR activity on the SeN-Fe3C catalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yan
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
| | - Haiyan Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
| | - Jiaqi Ni
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
| | - Jinjin Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
| | - Junjie Xu
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
| | - Jiaou Qi
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
| | - Shufang Zhu
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Lilin Lu
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
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21
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Liu Z, Tan H, Li B, Hu Z, Jiang DE, Yao Q, Wang L, Xie J. Ligand effect on switching the rate-determining step of water oxidation in atomically precise metal nanoclusters. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3374. [PMID: 37291124 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38914-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The ligand effects of atomically precise metal nanoclusters on electrocatalysis kinetics have been rarely revealed. Herein, we employ atomically precise Au25 nanoclusters with different ligands (i.e., para-mercaptobenzoic acid, 6-mercaptohexanoic acid, and homocysteine) as paradigm electrocatalysts to demonstrate oxygen evolution reaction rate-determining step switching through ligand engineering. Au25 nanoclusters capped by para-mercaptobenzoic acid exhibit a better performance with nearly 4 times higher than that of Au25 NCs capped by other two ligands. We deduce that para-mercaptobenzoic acid with a stronger electron-withdrawing ability establishes more partial positive charges on Au(I) (i.e., active sites) for facilitating feasible adsorption of OH- in alkaline media. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy and theoretical study indicate a profound electron transfer from Au(I) to para-mercaptobenzoic acid. The Tafel slope and in situ Raman spectroscopy suggest different ligands trigger different rate-determining step for these Au25 nanoclusters. The mechanistic insights reported here can add to the acceptance of atomically precise metal nanoclusters as effective electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihe Liu
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University International Campus of Tianjin University Binhai New City Fuzhou, Fuzhou, 350207, PR China
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering National University of, Singapore, 117585, Singapore
| | - Hua Tan
- Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Zehua Hu
- Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore
| | - De-En Jiang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Qiaofeng Yao
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University International Campus of Tianjin University Binhai New City Fuzhou, Fuzhou, 350207, PR China.
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering National University of, Singapore, 117585, Singapore.
| | - Jianping Xie
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University International Campus of Tianjin University Binhai New City Fuzhou, Fuzhou, 350207, PR China.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering National University of, Singapore, 117585, Singapore.
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22
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Liu N, Chen L, Deng K, Feng H, Zhang Y, Duan J, Liu D, Li Q. Multiscale model to resolve the chemical environment in a pressurized CO 2-captured solution electrolyzer. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023:S2095-9273(23)00316-X. [PMID: 37211489 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The community of electrochemical CO2 reduction is almost exclusively focused on gaseous CO2-fed electrolyzers. Here, we proposed a pressurized CO2-Captured solution electrolyzer to produce solar Fuel of CO (abbreviated "CCF") without the need to regenerate gaseous CO2. Specifically, we developed an experimentally validated multiscale model to quantitatively investigate the effect of pressure-induced chemical environment and to resolve the complex relationship between this effect and the activity and selectivity of CO production. Our results show that the pressure-induced variation of the cathode pH has a negative effect on the hydrogen evolution reaction, whereas the species coverage variation positively affects CO2 reduction. These effects are more pronounced at pressures below 15 bar (1 bar = 101 kPa). Consequently, a mild increase in the pressure of the CO2-captured solution from 1 to 10 bar leads to a dramatic enhancement in selectivity. Using a commercial Ag nanoparticle catalyst, our pressurized CCF prototype achieved CO selectivity higher than 95% at a low cathode potential of -0.6 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), comparable to that under the gaseous CO2-fed condition. This enables the demonstration of a solar-to-CO efficiency of 16.8%, superior to any known devices with an aqueous feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Liu
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Longfei Chen
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Kai Deng
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Hao Feng
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
| | - Ying Zhang
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Jingjing Duan
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Dong Liu
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
| | - Qiang Li
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
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23
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Ringe S. The importance of a charge transfer descriptor for screening potential CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2598. [PMID: 37147278 PMCID: PMC10162986 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37929-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been over twenty years since the linear scaling of reaction intermediate adsorption energies started to coin the fields of heterogeneous and electrocatalysis as a blessing and a curse at the same time. It has established the possibility to construct activity volcano plots as a function of a single or two readily accessible adsorption energies as descriptors, but also limited the maximal catalytic conversion rate. In this work, it is found that these established adsorption energy-based descriptor spaces are not applicable to electrochemistry, because they are lacking an important additional dimension, the potential of zero charge. This extra dimension arises from the interaction of the electric double layer with reaction intermediates which does not scale with adsorption energies. At the example of the electrochemical reduction of CO2 it is shown that the addition of this descriptor breaks the scaling relations, opening up a huge chemical space that is readily accessible via potential of zero charge-based material design. The potential of zero charge also explains product selectivity trends of electrochemical CO2 reduction in close agreement with reported experimental data highlighting its importance for electrocatalyst design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Ringe
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
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24
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Zhu X, Huang J, Eikerling M. pH Effects in a Model Electrocatalytic Reaction Disentangled. JACS AU 2023; 3:1052-1064. [PMID: 37124300 PMCID: PMC10131201 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Varying the solution pH not only changes the reactant concentrations in bulk solution but also the local reaction environment (LRE) that is shaped furthermore by macroscopic mass transport and microscopic electric double layer (EDL) effects. Understanding ubiquitous pH effects in electrocatalysis requires disentangling these interwoven factors, which is a difficult, if not impossible, task without physical modeling. Herein, we demonstrate how a hierarchical model that integrates microkinetics, double-layer charging, and macroscopic mass transport can help understand pH effects of the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR). In terms of the relation between the peak activity and the solution pH, intrinsic pH effects without consideration of changes in the LRE would lead to a bell-shaped curve with a peak at pH = 6. Adding only macroscopic mass transport, we can already reproduce qualitatively the experimentally observed trapezoidal shape with a plateau between pH 5 and 10 in perchlorate and sulfate solutions. A quantitative agreement with experimental data requires consideration of EDL effects beyond Frumkin correlations. Specifically, the peculiar nonmonotonic surface charging relation affects the free energies of adsorbed intermediates. We further discuss pH effects of FAOR in phosphate and chloride-containing solutions, for which anion adsorption becomes important. This study underpins the importance of a full consideration of multiple interrelated factors for the interpretation of pH effects in electrocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwei Zhu
- Theory
and Computation of Energy Materials (IEK-13), Institute of Energy
and Climate Research, Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Chair
of Theory and Computation of Energy Materials, Faculty of Georesources
and Materials Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jun Huang
- Theory
and Computation of Energy Materials (IEK-13), Institute of Energy
and Climate Research, Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Michael Eikerling
- Theory
and Computation of Energy Materials (IEK-13), Institute of Energy
and Climate Research, Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Chair
of Theory and Computation of Energy Materials, Faculty of Georesources
and Materials Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
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25
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Chu AT, Jung O, Toh WL, Surendranath Y. Organic Non-Nucleophilic Electrolyte Resists Carbonation during Selective CO 2 Electroreduction. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:9617-9623. [PMID: 37093640 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
The spontaneous reaction of CO2 with water and hydroxide to form (bi)carbonates in alkaline aqueous electrolytes compromises the energy and carbon efficiency of CO2 electrolyzers. We hypothesized that electrolyte carbonation could be mitigated by operating the reaction in an aprotic solvent with low water content, while also employing an exogenous non-nucleophilic acid as the proton donor to prevent parasitic capture of CO2 by its conjugate base. However, it is unclear whether such an electrolyte design could simultaneously engender high CO2 reduction selectivity and low electrolyte carbonation. We herein report selective CO2 electroreduction with low carbonate formation on a polycrystalline Au catalyst using dimethyl sulfoxide as the solvent and acetic acid/acetate as the proton-donating medium. CO2 is reduced to CO with over 90% faradaic efficiency at potentials relative to the reversible hydrogen electrode that are comparable to those in neutral aqueous electrolytes. 1H and 13C NMR studies demonstrate that only millimolar concentrations of bicarbonates are reversibly formed, that the proton activity of the medium is largely unaffected by exposure to CO2, and that low carbonation is maintained upon addition of 1 M water. This work demonstrates that electrolyte carbonation can be attenuated and decoupled from efficient CO2 reduction in an aprotic solvent, offering new electrolyte design principles for low-temperature CO2 electroreduction systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- An T Chu
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Onyu Jung
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Wei Lun Toh
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Yogesh Surendranath
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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26
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Domínguez-Flores F, Melander MM. Approximating constant potential DFT with canonical DFT and electrostatic corrections. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:144701. [PMID: 37061493 DOI: 10.1063/5.0138197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of electrochemical interfaces has led to the development of several approximate density functional theory (DFT)-based schemes to study reaction thermodynamics and kinetics as a function of electrode potential. While fixed electrode potential conditions can be simulated with grand canonical ensemble DFT (GCE-DFT), various electrostatic corrections on canonical, constant charge DFT are often applied instead. In this work, we present a systematic derivation and analysis of the different electrostatic corrections on canonical DFT to understand their physical validity, implicit assumptions, and scope of applicability. Our work highlights the need to carefully address the suitability of a given model for the problem under study, especially if physical or chemical insight in addition to reaction energetics is sought. In particular, we analytically show that the different corrections cannot differentiate between electrostatic interactions and covalent or charge-transfer interactions. By numerically testing different models for CO2 adsorption on a single-atom catalyst as a function of the electrode potential, we further show that computed capacitances, dipole moments, and the obtained physical insight depend sensitively on the chosen approximation. These features limit the scope, generality, and physical insight of these corrective schemes despite their proven practicality for specific systems and energetics. Finally, we suggest guidelines for choosing different electrostatic corrections and propose the use of conceptual DFT to develop more general approximations for electrochemical interfaces and reactions using canonical DFT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Domínguez-Flores
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Marko M Melander
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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27
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Wu H, Singh-Morgan A, Qi K, Zeng Z, Mougel V, Voiry D. Electrocatalyst Microenvironment Engineering for Enhanced Product Selectivity in Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Reduction Reactions. ACS Catal 2023; 13:5375-5396. [PMID: 37123597 PMCID: PMC10127282 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Carbon and nitrogen fixation strategies are regarded as alternative routes to produce valuable chemicals used as energy carriers and fertilizers that are traditionally obtained from unsustainable and energy-intensive coal gasification (CO and CH4), Fischer-Tropsch (C2H4), and Haber-Bosch (NH3) processes. Recently, the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and N2 reduction reaction (NRR) have received tremendous attention, with the merits of being both efficient strategies to store renewable electricity while providing alternative preparation routes to fossil-fuel-driven reactions. To date, the development of the CO2RR and NRR processes is primarily hindered by the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER); however, the corresponding strategies for inhibiting this undesired side reaction are still quite limited. Considering such complex reactions involve three gas-liquid-solid phases and successive proton-coupled electron transfers, it appears meaningful to review the current strategies for improving product selectivity in light of their respective reaction mechanisms, kinetics, and thermodynamics. By examining the developments and understanding in catalyst design, electrolyte engineering, and three-phase interface modulation, we discuss three key strategies for improving product selectivity for the CO2RR and NRR: (i) targeting molecularly defined active sites, (ii) increasing the local reactant concentration at the active sites, and (iii) stabilizing and confining product intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huali Wu
- Institut Européen des Membranes, IEM, UMR 5635, Université Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, Montpellier 34000, France
| | - Amrita Singh-Morgan
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Kun Qi
- Institut Européen des Membranes, IEM, UMR 5635, Université Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, Montpellier 34000, France
| | - Zhiyuan Zeng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Victor Mougel
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Damien Voiry
- Institut Européen des Membranes, IEM, UMR 5635, Université Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, Montpellier 34000, France
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28
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Kastlunger G, Heenen HH, Govindarajan N. Combining First-Principles Kinetics and Experimental Data to Establish Guidelines for Product Selectivity in Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction. ACS Catal 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c00228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
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29
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Li XY, Jin XF, Yang XH, Wang X, Le JB, Cheng J. Molecular understanding of the Helmholtz capacitance difference between Cu(100) and graphene electrodes. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:084701. [PMID: 36859091 DOI: 10.1063/5.0139534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Unraveling the origin of Helmholtz capacitance is of paramount importance for understanding the interfacial structure and electrostatic potential distribution of electric double layers (EDL). In this work, we combined the methods of ab initio molecular dynamics and classical molecular dynamics and modeled electrified Cu(100)/electrolyte and graphene/electrolyte interfaces for comparison. It was proposed that the Helmholtz capacitance is composed of three parts connected in series: the usual solvent capacitance, water chemisorption induced capacitance, and Pauling repulsion caused gap capacitance. We found the Helmholtz capacitance of graphene is significantly lower than that of Cu(100), which was attributed to two intrinsic factors. One is that graphene has a wider gap layer at interface, and the other is that graphene is less active for water chemisorption. Finally, based on our findings, we provide suggestions for how to increase the EDL capacitance of graphene-based materials in future work, and we also suggest that the new understanding of the potential distribution across the Helmholtz layer may help explain some experimental phenomena of electrocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiang-Feng Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers Technology of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
| | - Jia-Bo Le
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers Technology of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
| | - Jun Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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30
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Qin X, Vegge T, Hansen HA. Cation-Coordinated Inner-Sphere CO 2 Electroreduction at Au-Water Interfaces. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1897-1905. [PMID: 36630567 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is a promising technology for the clean energy economy. Numerous efforts have been devoted to enhancing the mechanistic understanding of CO2RR from both experimental and theoretical studies. Electrolyte ions are critical for the CO2RR; however, the role of alkali metal cations is highly controversial, and a complete free energy diagram of CO2RR at Au-water interfaces is still missing. Here, we provide a systematic mechanism study toward CO2RR via ab initio molecular dynamics simulations integrated with the slow-growth sampling (SG-AIMD) method. By using the SG-AIMD approach, we demonstrate that CO2RR is facile at the inner-sphere interface in the presence of K cations, which promote the CO2 activation with the free energy barrier of only 0.66 eV. Furthermore, the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is inhibited by the interfacial cations with the induced kinetic blockage effect, where the rate-limiting Volmer step shows a much higher energy barrier (1.27 eV). Eventually, a comprehensive free energy diagram including both kinetics and thermodynamics of the CO2RR to CO and the HER at the electrochemical interface is derived, which illustrates the critical role of cations on the overall performance of CO2 electroreduction by facilitating CO2 adsorption while suppressing the hydrogen evolution at the same time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueping Qin
- Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby2800, Denmark
| | - Tejs Vegge
- Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby2800, Denmark
| | - Heine Anton Hansen
- Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby2800, Denmark
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31
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Lu X, Shinagawa T, Takanabe K. Product Distribution Control Guided by a Microkinetic Analysis for CO Reduction at High-Flux Electrocatalysis Using Gas-Diffusion Cu Electrodes. ACS Catal 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c04802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Lu
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo113-8656, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Shinagawa
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo113-8656, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Takanabe
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo113-8656, Japan
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32
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Koh ES, Geiger S, Gunnarson A, Imhof T, Meyer GM, Paciok P, Etzold BJM, Rose M, Schüth F, Ledendecker M. Influence of Support Material on the Structural Evolution of Copper during Electrochemical CO
2
Reduction. ChemElectroChem 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202200924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ezra S. Koh
- Technical University of Darmstadt Department of Chemistry Ernst-Berl-Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Simon Geiger
- Department of Technical Thermodynamics Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt, Stuttgart Pfaffenwaldring 38–40 70569 Stuttgart
| | - Alexander Gunnarson
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis Max Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| | - Timo Imhof
- Technical University of Darmstadt Department of Chemistry Ernst-Berl-Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Gregor M. Meyer
- Technical University of Darmstadt Department of Chemistry Ernst-Berl-Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Paul Paciok
- Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Germany
| | - Bastian J. M. Etzold
- Technical University of Darmstadt Department of Chemistry Ernst-Berl-Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Marcus Rose
- Technical University of Darmstadt Department of Chemistry Ernst-Berl-Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Ferdi Schüth
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis Max Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| | - Marc Ledendecker
- Technical University of Darmstadt Department of Chemistry Ernst-Berl-Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie 64287 Darmstadt Germany
- Current address: Technical University of Munich Department of Sustainable Energy Materials 94315 Straubing
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33
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Radziewicz M, Nogala W, Kot Ł, Hyk W. Voltammetric examination of carbon and platinum nanoelectrodes under mixed diffusion – migration mass transport conditions. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2023.117184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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34
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Qin HG, Li FZ, Du YF, Yang LF, Wang H, Bai YY, Lin M, Gu J. Quantitative Understanding of Cation Effects on the Electrochemical Reduction of CO 2 and H + in Acidic Solution. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c04875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Gang Qin
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Fu-Zhi Li
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Yun-Fan Du
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Lin-Feng Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Yi-Yang Bai
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Meng Lin
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Jun Gu
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
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35
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Shit SC, Powar NS, Kalita P, Paul R, Xu S, Jung JW, Cho CH, In SI, Mondal J. Selective photocatalytic CO 2 reduction to CH 4 over metal-free porous polyimide in the solid-gas mode. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:13716-13719. [PMID: 36315250 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc04701b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Using a catalyst-free one-pot polycondensation approach, a new donor-acceptor (D-A) based porous polyimide (PeTt-POP) photocatalyst was developed. PeTt-POP produced CH4 (125.63 ppm g-1 in 6 h) from CO2 under visible light irradiation in the gas-solid mode without the use of co-catalysts or sacrificial agents. The progress of the reaction and the corresponding intermediate species involved in the CO2 reduction were identified by operando DRIFTS experiments, from which a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash Chandra Shit
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu42988, Republic of Korea. .,Catalysis & Fine Chemicals Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500007, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Niket S Powar
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Priyanka Kalita
- Catalysis & Fine Chemicals Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500007, India.
| | - Ratul Paul
- Catalysis & Fine Chemicals Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500007, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Shaojun Xu
- UK Catalysis Hub, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot, OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Jin-Woo Jung
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, 333 Techno Jungang daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Hee Cho
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, 333 Techno Jungang daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Il In
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - John Mondal
- Catalysis & Fine Chemicals Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500007, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
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36
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Huang J, Climent V, Groß A, Feliu JM. Understanding surface charge effects in electrocatalysis. Part 2: Hydrogen peroxide reactions at platinum. CHINESE JOURNAL OF CATALYSIS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2067(22)64138-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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37
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Wu D, Jiao F, Lu Q. Progress and Understanding of CO 2/CO Electroreduction in Flow Electrolyzers. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c03348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donghuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Feng Jiao
- Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Qi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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38
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Shin SJ, Choi H, Ringe S, Won DH, Oh HS, Kim DH, Lee T, Nam DH, Kim H, Choi CH. A unifying mechanism for cation effect modulating C1 and C2 productions from CO 2 electroreduction. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5482. [PMID: 36123326 PMCID: PMC9485141 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33199-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrocatalysis, whose reaction venue locates at the catalyst-electrolyte interface, is controlled by the electron transfer across the electric double layer, envisaging a mechanistic link between the electron transfer rate and the electric double layer structure. A fine example is in the CO2 reduction reaction, of which rate shows a strong dependence on the alkali metal cation (M+) identity, but there is yet to be a unified molecular picture for that. Using quantum-mechanics-based atom-scale simulation, we herein scrutinize the M+-coupling capability to possible intermediates, and establish H+- and M+-associated ET mechanisms for CH4 and CO/C2H4 formations, respectively. These theoretical scenarios are successfully underpinned by Nernstian shifts of polarization curves with the H+ or M+ concentrations and the first-order kinetics of CO/C2H4 formation on the electrode surface charge density. Our finding further rationalizes the merit of using Nafion-coated electrode for enhanced C2 production in terms of enhanced surface charge density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Jae Shin
- grid.37172.300000 0001 2292 0500Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Hansol Choi
- grid.61221.360000 0001 1033 9831School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005 Republic of Korea
| | - Stefan Ringe
- grid.222754.40000 0001 0840 2678Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841 Republic of Korea
| | - Da Hye Won
- grid.35541.360000000121053345Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Suk Oh
- grid.35541.360000000121053345Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792 Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hyun Kim
- grid.49100.3c0000 0001 0742 4007Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673 Republic of Korea
| | - Taemin Lee
- grid.417736.00000 0004 0438 6721Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Hyun Nam
- grid.417736.00000 0004 0438 6721Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungjun Kim
- grid.37172.300000 0001 2292 0500Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Hyuck Choi
- grid.49100.3c0000 0001 0742 4007Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673 Republic of Korea
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39
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Zhao H, Cao H, Zhang Z, Wang YG. Modeling the Potential-Dependent Kinetics of CO 2 Electroreduction on Single-Nickel Atom Catalysts with Explicit Solvation. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c02383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Zhao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Cao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Zisheng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Yang-Gang Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
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40
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Sheng X, Ge W, Jiang H, Li C. Engineering the NiNC Catalyst Microenvironment Enabling CO 2 Electroreduction with Nearly 100% CO Selectivity in Acid. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2201295. [PMID: 35901104 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202201295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
CO2 electrolysis in acid has emerged as a promising route to achieve high CO2 utilization due to the inhibition of undesired carbonate formation that generally occurs in alkaline or neutral conditions. However, the efficiency and stability of this system need to be further improved through tailoring of the electrocatalyst and its working environment. Here, a working microenvironment of structurally engineered NiNC catalyst for acidic CO2 electrolysis is probed and optimized by adding hydrophobic poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) nanoparticles in the catalytic layer of gas-diffusion electrodes. The PTFE-modified electrode delivers nearly 100% CO Faradaic efficiency at an industry-relevant current density of 250 mA cm-2 , and a high single-pass CO2 utilization of 75.7% at a current density of 200 mA cm-2 under 20 sccm CO2 gas flow rate. Moreover, compared to a conventional electrode without added PTFE, the PTFE-modified electrode exhibits a substantially enhanced water-flooding-resistant ability. Mechanistic investigations reveal that a moderate PTFE modification can optimize the local CO2 /H2 O ratio in the catalytic layer, favoring the reduction of the diffusion layer thickness and the formation of a highly active and stable solid-liquid-gas interfacial microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuedi Sheng
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Wangxing Ge
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Hongliang Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Chunzhong Li
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
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41
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Jeong S, Choi MH, Jagdale GS, Zhong Y, Siepser NP, Wang Y, Zhan X, Baker LA, Ye X. Unraveling the Structural Sensitivity of CO 2 Electroreduction at Facet-Defined Nanocrystals via Correlative Single-Entity and Macroelectrode Measurements. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:12673-12680. [PMID: 35793438 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c02001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The conversion of CO2 into value-added products is a compelling way of storing energy derived from intermittent renewable sources and can bring us closer to a closed-loop anthropogenic carbon cycle. The ability to synthesize nanocrystals of well-defined structure and composition has invigorated catalysis science with the promise of nanocrystals that selectively express the most favorable sites for efficient catalysis. The performance of nanocrystal catalysts for the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is typically evaluated with nanocrystal ensembles, which returns an averaged system-level response of complex catalyst-modified electrodes with each nanocrystal likely contributing a different (unknown) amount. Measurements at single nanocrystals, taken in the context of statistical analysis of a population, and comparison to macroscale measurements are necessary to untangle the complexity of the ever-present heterogeneity in nanocrystal catalysts, achieve true structure-property correlation, and potentially identify nanocrystals with outlier performance. Here, we employ environment-controlled scanning electrochemical cell microscopy to isolate and investigate the electrocatalytic CO2RR response of individual facet-defined gold nanocrystals. Using correlative microscopy approaches, we conclusively demonstrate that {110}-terminated gold rhombohedra possess superior activity and selectivity for CO2RR compared with {111}-terminated octahedra and high-index {310}-terminated truncated ditetragonal prisms, especially at low overpotentials where electrode kinetics is anticipated to dominate the current response. The methodology framework described here could inform future studies of complex electrocatalytic processes through correlative single-entity and macroscale measurement techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soojin Jeong
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Myung-Hoon Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, 580 Ross St, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Gargi S Jagdale
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Yaxu Zhong
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Natasha P Siepser
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Xun Zhan
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Lane A Baker
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, 580 Ross St, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Xingchen Ye
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
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42
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Ovalle VJ, Hsu YS, Agrawal N, Janik MJ, Waegele MM. Correlating hydration free energy and specific adsorption of alkali metal cations during CO2 electroreduction on Au. Nat Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1038/s41929-022-00816-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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43
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Marcandalli G, Monteiro MCO, Goyal A, Koper MTM. Electrolyte Effects on CO 2 Electrochemical Reduction to CO. Acc Chem Res 2022; 55:1900-1911. [PMID: 35772054 PMCID: PMC9301915 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
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The electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) constitutes
an alternative to fossil fuel-based technologies for the production
of fuels and commodity chemicals. Yet the application of CO2RR electrolyzers
is hampered by low energy and Faradaic efficiencies. Concomitant electrochemical
reactions, like hydrogen evolution (HER), lower the selectivity, while
the conversion of CO2 into (bi)carbonate through solution
acid–base reactions induces an additional concentration overpotential.
During CO2RR in aqueous media, the local pH becomes more alkaline
than the bulk causing an additional consumption of CO2 by
the homogeneous reactions. The latter effect, in combination with
the low solubility of CO2 in aqueous electrolytes (33 mM),
leads to a significant depletion in CO2 concentration at
the electrode surface. The nature of the electrolyte, in terms
of pH and cation identity,
has recently emerged as an important factor to tune both the energy
and Faradaic efficiency. In this Account, we summarize the recent
advances in understanding electrolyte effects on CO2RR to CO in aqueous
solutions, which is the first, and crucial, step to further reduced
products. To compare literature findings in a meaningful way, we focus
on results reported under well-defined mass transport conditions and
using online analytical techniques. The discussion covers the molecular-level
understanding of the effects of the proton donor, in terms of the
suppression of the CO2 gradient vs enhancement of HER at
a given mass transport rate and of the cation, which is crucial in
enabling both CO2RR and HER. These mechanistic insights are then translated
into possible implications for industrially relevant cell geometries
and current densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Marcandalli
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mariana C O Monteiro
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Akansha Goyal
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marc T M Koper
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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44
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Rebstock JA, Zhu Q, Baker LR. Comparing interfacial cation hydration at catalytic active sites and spectator sites on gold electrodes: understanding structure sensitive CO 2 reduction kinetics. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7634-7643. [PMID: 35872825 PMCID: PMC9242014 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc01878k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrated cations present in the electrochemical double layer (EDL) are known to play a crucial role in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (CO2R), and numerous studies have attempted to explain how the cation effect contributes to the complex CO2R mechanism. CO2R is a structure sensitive reaction, indicating that a small fraction of total surface sites may account for the majority of catalytic turnover. Despite intense interest in specific cation effects, probing site-specific, cation-dependent solvation structures remains a significant challenge. In this work, CO adsorbed on Au is used as a vibrational Stark reporter to indirectly probe solvation structure using vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy. Two modes corresponding to atop adsorption of CO are observed with unique frequency shifts and potential-dependent intensity profiles, corresponding to direct adsorption of CO to inactive surface sites, and in situ generated CO produced at catalytic active sites. Analysis of the cation-dependent Stark tuning slopes for each of these species provides estimates of the hydrated cation radius upon adsorption to active and inactive sites on the Au electrode. While cations are found to retain their bulk hydration shell upon adsorption at inactive sites, catalytic active sites are characterized by a single layer of water between the Au surface and the electrolyte cation. We propose that the drastic increase in catalytic performance at active sites stems from this unique solvation structure at the Au/electrolyte interface. Building on this evidence of a site-specific EDL structure will be critical to understand the connection between cation-dependent interfacial solvation and CO2R performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn A Rebstock
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio 43210 USA
| | - Quansong Zhu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio 43210 USA
| | - L Robert Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio 43210 USA
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45
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Vos RE, Koper MTM. The Effect of Temperature on the Cation‐Promoted Electrochemical CO
2
Reduction on Gold. ChemElectroChem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202200239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rafaël E. Vos
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry Leiden University 2300 RA Leiden
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46
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Beinlich SD, Hörmann NG, Reuter K. Field Effects at Protruding Defect Sites in Electrocatalysis at Metal Electrodes? ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c00997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simeon D. Beinlich
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Chair for Theoretical Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Nicolas G. Hörmann
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karsten Reuter
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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47
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Bui JC, Lees EW, Pant LM, Zenyuk IV, Bell AT, Weber AZ. Continuum Modeling of Porous Electrodes for Electrochemical Synthesis. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11022-11084. [PMID: 35507321 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical synthesis possesses substantial promise to utilize renewable energy sources to power the conversion of abundant feedstocks to value-added commodity chemicals and fuels. Of the potential system architectures for these processes, only systems employing 3-D structured porous electrodes have the capacity to achieve the high rates of conversion necessary for industrial scale. However, the phenomena and environments in these systems are not well understood and are challenging to probe experimentally. Fortunately, continuum modeling is well-suited to rationalize the observed behavior in electrochemical synthesis, as well as to ultimately provide recommendations for guiding the design of next-generation devices and components. In this review, we begin by presenting an historical review of modeling of porous electrode systems, with the aim of showing how past knowledge of macroscale modeling can contribute to the rising challenge of electrochemical synthesis. We then present a detailed overview of the governing physics and assumptions required to simulate porous electrode systems for electrochemical synthesis. Leveraging the developed understanding of porous-electrode theory, we survey and discuss the present literature reports on simulating multiscale phenomena in porous electrodes in order to demonstrate their relevance to understanding and improving the performance of devices for electrochemical synthesis. Lastly, we provide our perspectives regarding future directions in the development of models that can most accurately describe and predict the performance of such devices and discuss the best potential applications of future models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin C Bui
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.,Liquid Sunlight Alliance, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Eric W Lees
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lalit M Pant
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.,Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, India
| | - Iryna V Zenyuk
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Alexis T Bell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.,Liquid Sunlight Alliance, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adam Z Weber
- Liquid Sunlight Alliance, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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48
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Dattila F, Seemakurthi RR, Zhou Y, López N. Modeling Operando Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11085-11130. [PMID: 35476402 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Since the seminal works on the application of density functional theory and the computational hydrogen electrode to electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) and hydrogen evolution (HER), the modeling of both reactions has quickly evolved for the last two decades. Formulation of thermodynamic and kinetic linear scaling relationships for key intermediates on crystalline materials have led to the definition of activity volcano plots, overpotential diagrams, and full exploitation of these theoretical outcomes at laboratory scale. However, recent studies hint at the role of morphological changes and short-lived intermediates in ruling the catalytic performance under operating conditions, further raising the bar for the modeling of electrocatalytic systems. Here, we highlight some novel methodological approaches employed to address eCO2R and HER reactions. Moving from the atomic scale to the bulk electrolyte, we first show how ab initio and machine learning methodologies can partially reproduce surface reconstruction under operation, thus identifying active sites and reaction mechanisms if coupled with microkinetic modeling. Later, we introduce the potential of density functional theory and machine learning to interpret data from Operando spectroelectrochemical techniques, such as Raman spectroscopy and extended X-ray absorption fine structure characterization. Next, we review the role of electrolyte and mass transport effects. Finally, we suggest further challenges for computational modeling in the near future as well as our perspective on the directions to follow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Dattila
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Av. Països Catalans 16, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Ranga Rohit Seemakurthi
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Av. Països Catalans 16, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Yecheng Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Núria López
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Av. Països Catalans 16, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
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49
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Modulating electric field distribution by alkali cations for CO2 electroreduction in strongly acidic medium. Nat Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1038/s41929-022-00761-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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50
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Kastlunger G, Wang L, Govindarajan N, Heenen HH, Ringe S, Jaramillo T, Hahn C, Chan K. Using pH Dependence to Understand Mechanisms in Electrochemical CO Reduction. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c05520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Georg Kastlunger
- Catalysis Theory Center, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lei Wang
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117585, Singapore
| | - Nitish Govindarajan
- Catalysis Theory Center, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Hendrik H. Heenen
- Catalysis Theory Center, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Stefan Ringe
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
- Energy Science and Engineering Research Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Thomas Jaramillo
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Christopher Hahn
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
- Materials Science Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Karen Chan
- Catalysis Theory Center, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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