1
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Ma M, Seger B. Rational Design of Local Reaction Environment for Electrocatalytic Conversion of CO 2 into Multicarbon Products. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202401185. [PMID: 38576259 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202401185] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into multi-carbon (C2+) products provides an attractive route for storing intermittent renewable electricity as fuels and feedstocks with high energy densities. Although substantial progress has been made in selective electrosynthesis of C2+ products via engineering the catalyst, rational design of the local reaction environment in the vicinity of catalyst surface also acts as an effective approach for further enhancing the performance. Here, we discuss recent advances and pertinent challenges in the modulation of local reaction environment, encompassing local pH, the choice of the species and concentrations of cations and anions as well as local reactant/intermediate concentrations, for achieving high C2+ selectivity. In addition, mechanistic understanding in the effects of the local reaction environment is also discussed. Particularly, the important progress extracted from in situ and operando spectroscopy techniques provides insights into how local reaction environment affects C-C coupling and key intermediates formation that lead to reaction pathways toward a desired C2+ product. The possible future direction in understanding and engineering the local reaction environment is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Ma
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Brian Seger
- Surface Physics and Catalysis (Surfcat) Section, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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2
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Fu Z, Ouyang Y, Wu M, Ling C, Wang J. Mechanism of surface oxygen-containing species promoted electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:1410-1417. [PMID: 38480022 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.03.012] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Oxygen-containing species have been demonstrated to play a key role in facilitating electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (CO2RR), particularly in enhancing the selectivity towards multi-carbon (C2+) products. However, the underlying promotion mechanism is still under debate, which greatly limits the rational optimization of the catalytic performance of CO2RR. Herein, taking CO2 and O2 co-electrolysis over Cu as the prototype, we successfully clarified how O2 boosts CO2RR from a new perspective by employing comprehensive theoretical simulations. Our results demonstrated that O2 in feed gas can be rapidly reduced into *OH, leading to the partial oxidation of Cu surface under reduction conditions. Surface *OH accelerates the formation of quasi-specifically adsorbed K+ due to the electrostatic interaction between *OH and K+ ions, which significantly increases the concentration of K+ near the Cu surface. These quasi-specifically adsorbed K+ ions can not only lower the C-C coupling barriers but also promote the hydrogenation of CO2 to improve the CO yield rate, which are responsible for the remarkably enhanced efficiency of C2+ products. During the whole process, O2 co-electrolysis plays an indispensable role in stabilizing surface *OH. This mechanism can be also adopted to understand the effect of high pH of electrolyte and residual O in oxide-derived Cu (OD-Cu) on the catalytic efficiency towards C2+ products. Therefore, our work provides new insights into strategies for improving C2+ products on the Cu-based catalysts, i.e., maintaining partial oxidation of surface under reduction conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanzhao Fu
- Key Laboratory of Quantum Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, School of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 21189, China
| | - Yixin Ouyang
- Key Laboratory of Quantum Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, School of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 21189, China
| | - Mingliang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Quantum Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, School of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 21189, China
| | - Chongyi Ling
- Key Laboratory of Quantum Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, School of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 21189, China.
| | - Jinlan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Quantum Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, School of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 21189, China.
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3
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Zhang Y, Ma Z, Yang S, Wang Q, Liu L, Bai Y, Rao D, Wang G, Li H, Zheng X. Element-dependent effects of alkali cations on nitrate reduction to ammonia. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:1100-1108. [PMID: 38423872 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.02.011] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Catalytic conversion of nitrate (NO3-) pollutants into ammonia (NH3) offers a sustainable and promising route for both wastewater treatment and NH3 synthesis. Alkali cations are prevalent in nitrate solutions, but their roles beyond charge balance in catalytic NO3- conversion have been generally ignored. Herein, we report the promotion effect of K+ cations in KNO3 solution for NO3- reduction over a TiO2-supported Ni single-atom catalyst (Ni1/TiO2). For photocatalytic NO3- reduction reaction, Ni1/TiO2 exhibited a 1.9-fold NH3 yield rate with nearly 100% selectivity in KNO3 solution relative to that in NaNO3 solution. Mechanistic studies reveal that the K+ cations from KNO3 gradually bonded with the surface of Ni1/TiO2, in situ forming a K-O-Ni moiety during reaction, whereas the Na+ ions were unable to interact with the catalyst in NaNO3 solution. The charge accumulation on the Ni sites induced by the incorporation of K atom promoted the adsorption and activation of NO3-. Furthermore, the K-O-Ni moiety facilitated the multiple proton-electron coupling of NO3- into NH3 by stabilizing the intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yida Zhang
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China; College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Experimental Center of Engineering and Material Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Zhentao Ma
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China
| | - Shaokang Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Qingyu Wang
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China; College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Experimental Center of Engineering and Material Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Limin Liu
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China
| | - Yu Bai
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Experimental Center of Engineering and Material Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Dewei Rao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Gongming Wang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Experimental Center of Engineering and Material Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hongliang Li
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China; Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
| | - Xusheng Zheng
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, 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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Wei F, Zhuang L. Unsupervised machine learning reveals eigen reactivity of metal surfaces. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:756-762. [PMID: 38184386 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.12.019] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
The reactivity of metal surfaces is a cornerstone concept in chemistry, as metals have long been used as catalysts to accelerate chemical reactions. Although fundamentally important, the reactivity of metal surfaces has hitherto not been explicitly defined. For example, in order to compare the activity of two metal surfaces, a particular probe adsorbate, such as O, H, or CO, has to be specified, as comparisons may vary from probe to probe. Here we report that the metal surfaces actually have their own intrinsic/eigen reactivity, independent of any probe adsorbate. By employing unsupervised machine learning algorithms, specifically, principal component analysis (PCA), two dominant eigenvectors emerged from the binding strength dataset formed by 10 commonly used probes on 48 typical metal surfaces. According to their chemical characteristics revealed by vector decomposition, these two eigenvectors can be defined as the covalent reactivity and the ionic reactivity, respectively. Whereas the ionic reactivity turns out to be related to the work function of the metal surface, the covalent reactivity cannot be indexed by simple physical properties, but appears to be roughly connected with the valence-electron number normalized density of states at the Fermi level. Our findings expose that the metal surface reactivity is essentially a two-dimensional vector rather than a scalar, opening new horizons for understanding interactions at the metal surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyuan Wei
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lin Zhuang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
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6
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Baidoun R, Liu G, Kim D. Recent advances in the role of interfacial liquids in electrochemical reactions. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:5903-5925. [PMID: 38440946 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr06092f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The interfacial liquid, situated in proximity to an electrode or catalyst, plays a vital role in determining the activity and selectivity of crucial electrochemical reactions, including hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution/reduction, and carbon dioxide reduction. Thus, there has been a growing interest in better understanding the behavior and the catalytic effect of its constituents. This minireview examines the impact of interfacial liquids on electrocatalysis, specifically the effects of water molecules and ionic species present at the interface. How the structure of interfacial water, distinct from the bulk, can affect charge transfer kinetics and transport of species is presented. Furthermore, how cations and anions (de)stabilize intermediates and transition states, compete for adsorption with reaction species, and act as local environment modifiers including pH and the surrounding solvent structure are described in detail. These effects can promote or inhibit reactions in various ways. This comprehensive exploration provides valuable insights for tailoring interfacial liquids to optimize electrochemical reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani Baidoun
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Gexu Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dohyung Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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7
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Chen W, Chen R, Jiang Y, Wang Y, Zhu Y, Li Y, Li C. In-Induced Electronic Structure Modulations of Bi─O Active Sites for Selective Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction to Liquid Fuel in Strong Acid. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2306795. [PMID: 38095535 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
The formation of carbonate in neutral/alkaline solutions leads to carbonate crossover, severely reducing carbon dioxide (CO2 ) single pass conversion efficiency (SPCE). Thus, CO2 electrolysis is a prospective route to achieve high CO2 utilization under acidic environment. Bimetallic Bi-based catalysts obtained utilizing metal doping strategies exhibit enhanced CO2 -to-formic acid (HCOOH) selectivity in alkaline/neutral media. However, achieving high HCOOH selectivity remains challenging in acidic media. To this end, Indium (In) doped Bi2O2CO3 via hydrothermal method is prepared for in-situ electroreduction to In-Bi/BiOx nanosheets for acidic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). In doping strategy regulates the electronic structure of Bi, promoting the fast derivatization of Bi2O2CO3 into Bi-O active sites to enhance CO2RR catalytic activity. The optimized Bi2 O2 CO3 -derived catalyst achieves the maximum HCOOH faradaic efficiency (FE) of 96% at 200 mA cm-2 . The SPCE for HCOOH production in acid is up to 36.6%, 2.2-fold higher than the best reported catalysts in alkaline environment. Furthermore, in situ Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrate that In-induced electronic structure modulation promotes a rapid structural evolution from nanobulks to Bi/BiOx nanosheets with more active species under acidic CO2 RR, which is a major factor in performance improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Rongzhen Chen
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yuhang Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yating Wang
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yihua Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yuhang Li
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Chunzhong Li
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
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8
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Liu H, Yan T, Tan S, Sun L, Zhang Z, Hu S, Li SH, Kang X, Lei Y, Jiang L, Hou T, Liu L, Yu Q, Liu B. Observation on Microenvironment Changes of Dynamic Catalysts in Acidic CO 2 Reduction. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:5333-5342. [PMID: 38369932 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c12321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) in acid can solve alkalinity issues while highly corrosive and reductive acidic electrolytes usually cause catalyst degradation. Inhibiting catalyst degradation is crucial for the stability of acidic CO2RR. Here, we reveal the microenvironment changes of dynamic Bi-based catalysts and develop a pulse chronoamperometry (CA) strategy to improve the stability of acidic CO2RR. In situ fluorescence mappings show that the local pH changes from neutral to acid, and the in situ Raman spectra reveal the dynamic evolution of interfacial water structures in the microenvironment. We propose that the surface charge properties of dynamic catalysts affect the competitive adsorption of K+ and protons, thereby causing the differences in local pH and CO2RR intermediate adsorption. We also develop a pulse CA strategy to reactivate catalysts, and the stability of acidic CO2RR is improved by 2 orders of magnitude for 100 h operation, which is higher than most reports on the stability of acidic CO2RR. This work gives insights on how microenvironment changes affecting the stability of acidic CO2RR, and provides guidance for designing stable catalysts in acidic electrolytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heming Liu
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Tian Yan
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Shendong Tan
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Linxuan Sun
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Center of Double Helix, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhang
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Shuqi Hu
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Shao-Hai Li
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Xin Kang
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Yu Lei
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Center of Double Helix, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Lu Jiang
- Watt Lab, Central Research Institute, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518129, P. R. China
| | - Tingzheng Hou
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Le Liu
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Qiangmin Yu
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Bilu Liu
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
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9
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Yang X, Ding H, Li S, Zheng S, Li JF, Pan F. Cation-Induced Interfacial Hydrophobic Microenvironment Promotes the C-C Coupling in Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:5532-5542. [PMID: 38362877 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) toward C2 products is a promising way for the clean energy economy. Modulating the structure of the electric double layer (EDL), especially the interfacial water and cation type, is a useful strategy to promote C-C coupling, but atomic understanding lags far behind the experimental observations. Herein, we investigate the combined effect of interfacial water and alkali metal cations on the C-C coupling at the Cu(100) electrode/electrolyte interface using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations with a constrained MD and slow-growth approach. We observe a linear correlation between the water-adsorbate stabilization effect, which manifests as hydrogen bonds, and the corresponding alleviation in the C-C coupling free energy. The role of a larger cation, compared to a smaller cation (e.g., K+ vs Li+), lies in its ability to approach the interface through desolvation and coordinates with the *CO+*CO moiety, partially substituting the hydrogen-bonding stabilizing effect of interfacial water. Although this only results in a marginal reduction of the energy barrier for C-C coupling, it creates a local hydrophobic environment with a scarcity of hydrogen bonds owing to its great ionic radius, impeding the hydrogen of surrounding interfacial water to approach the oxygen of the adsorbed *CO. This skillfully circumvents the further hydrogenation of *CO toward the C1 pathway, serving as the predominant factor through which a larger cation facilitates C-C coupling. This study unveils a comprehensive atomic mechanism of the cation-water-adsorbate interactions that can facilitate the further optimization of the electrolyte and EDL for efficient C-C coupling in CO2RR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhe Yang
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Haowen Ding
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Shunning Li
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Shisheng Zheng
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
- College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Jian-Feng Li
- College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Physical Science and Technology, Fujian Key Laboratory of Ultrafast Laser Technology and Applications, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Feng Pan
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
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10
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Fan J, Pan B, Wu J, Shao C, Wen Z, Yan Y, Wang Y, Li Y. Immobilized Tetraalkylammonium Cations Enable Metal-free CO 2 Electroreduction in Acid and Pure Water. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317828. [PMID: 38165224 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317828] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2 RR) provides an efficient pathway to convert CO2 into desirable products, yet its commercialization is greatly hindered by the huge energy cost due to CO2 loss and regeneration. Performing CO2 RR under acidic conditions containing alkali cations can potentially address the issue, but still causes (bi)carbonate deposition at high current densities, compromising product Faradaic efficiencies (FEs) in present-day acid-fed membrane electrode assemblies. Herein, we present a strategy using a positively charged polyelectrolyte-poly(diallyldimethylammonium) immobilized on graphene oxide via electrostatic interactions to displace alkali cations. This enables a FE of 85 %, a carbon efficiency of 93 %, and an energy efficiency (EE) of 35 % for CO at 100 mA cm-2 on modified Ag catalysts in acid. In a pure-water-fed reactor, we obtained a 78 % CO FE with a 30 % EE at 100 mA cm-2 at 40 °C. All the performance metrics are comparable to or even exceed those attained in the presence of alkali metal cations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Fan
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Binbin Pan
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Jialing Wu
- Macao Institute of Materials Science and Engineering (MIMSE), MUST-SUDA Joint Research Center for Advanced Functional Materials, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, 999078, Macau SAR, China
| | - Chaochen Shao
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Zhaoyu Wen
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Yuchen Yan
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Yuhang Wang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Yanguang Li
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Macao Institute of Materials Science and Engineering (MIMSE), MUST-SUDA Joint Research Center for Advanced Functional Materials, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, 999078, Macau SAR, China
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11
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Wu T, Bu H, Tao S, Ma M. Determination of local pH in CO 2 electroreduction. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:3926-3935. [PMID: 38323700 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr06357g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
The electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 and H2O into fuels and valuable chemicals has gained significant interest as a prospective method for the storage of renewable energy and the utilization of captured CO2. In the process of electroreduction of CO2, pH near the surface of the electrocatalysts plays an important role in the catalytic selectivity and activity. However, to elucidate the local pH effect on the fundamental reaction mechanism and modify the catalytic CO2 reduction performance, the localized pH determination method is highly desirable. In this minireview, we present the recent advances in the strategies of the local pH probe for CO2 electrolysis in both H-type cell reactors and GDE-type flow electrolyzers, followed with a better understanding of the local reaction environment in CO2 reduction. Additionally, pertinent advantages and drawbacks of the different localized pH probe techniques are discussed, and perspectives on future research efforts are also provided in this minireview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Wu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China.
- School of Chemistry, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Hangyu Bu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shuaikang Tao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ming Ma
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Chen Q, Wang X, Zhou Y, Tan Y, Li H, Fu J, Liu M. Electrocatalytic CO 2 Reduction to C 2+ Products in Flow Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2303902. [PMID: 37651690 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction into value-added fuels and chemicals by renewable electric energy is one of the important strategies to address global energy shortage and carbon emission. Though the classical H-type electrolytic cell can quickly screen high-efficiency catalysts, the low current density and limited CO2 mass transfer process essentially impede its industrial applications. The electrolytic cells based on electrolyte flow system (flow cells) have shown great potential for industrial devices, due to higher current density, improved local CO2 concentration, and better mass transfer efficiency. The design and optimization of flow cells are of great significance to further accelerate the industrialization of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR). In this review, the progress of flow cells for CO2 RR to C2+ products is concerned. Firstly, the main events in the development of the flow cells for CO2 RR are outlined. Second, the main design principles of CO2 RR to C2+ products, the architectures, and types of flow cells are summarized. Third, the main strategies for optimizing flow cells to generate C2+ products are reviewed in detail, including cathode, anode, ion exchange membrane, and electrolyte. Finally, the preliminary attempts, challenges, and the research prospects of flow cells for industrial CO2 RR toward C2+ products are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Chen
- Hunan Joint International Research Center for Carbon Dioxide Resource Utilization, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Xiqing Wang
- Hunan Joint International Research Center for Carbon Dioxide Resource Utilization, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Yajiao Zhou
- Hunan Joint International Research Center for Carbon Dioxide Resource Utilization, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Yao Tan
- Hunan Joint International Research Center for Carbon Dioxide Resource Utilization, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Hongmei Li
- Hunan Joint International Research Center for Carbon Dioxide Resource Utilization, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, P. R. China
| | - Junwei Fu
- Hunan Joint International Research Center for Carbon Dioxide Resource Utilization, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Min Liu
- Hunan Joint International Research Center for Carbon Dioxide Resource Utilization, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
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13
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Li X, Yang G, Zhang Q, Liu Z, Peng F. Alkali Metal Cation-Sulfate Anion Ion Pairs Promoted the Cleavage of C-C Bond During Ethanol Electrooxidation. J Phys Chem Lett 2023:11177-11182. [PMID: 38055448 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Direct ethanol fuel cells show great promise as a means of converting biomass ethanol derived from biomass into electricity. However, the efficiency of complete conversion is hindered by the low selectivity in breaking the C-C bond. This selectivity is determined by factors such as the material structure and reaction conditions, including the nature of the supporting electrolyte. Cations serve not only as facilitators of electricity conduction through ion migration but also as influencers of the reaction pathways. In this study, we utilized differential electrochemical mass spectrometry to track the in situ generation of CO2 during potential scanning. The presence of alkali cations led to an enhancement in the CO2 selectivity. In addition, in situ Raman spectroscopy provided evidence of the formation of alkali metal cation-sulfate anion ion pairs. The catalytic activity and CO2 selectivity were found to be directly correlated to the ionic strength of these ion pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guangxing Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qiao Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhiting Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Feng Peng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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14
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Wan M, Yang Z, Morgan H, Shi J, Shi F, Liu M, Wong HW, Gu Z, Che F. Enhanced CO 2 Reactive Capture and Conversion Using Aminothiolate Ligand-Metal Interface. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:26038-26051. [PMID: 37973169 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Metallic catalyst modification by organic ligands is an emerging catalyst design in enhancing the activity and selectivity of electrocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reactive capture and reduction to value-added fuels. However, a lack of fundamental science on how these ligand-metal interfaces interact with CO2 and key intermediates under working conditions has resulted in a trial-and-error approach for experimental designs. With the aid of density functional theory calculations, we provided a comprehensive mechanism study of CO2 reduction to multicarbon products over aminothiolate-coated copper (Cu) catalysts. Our results indicate that the CO2 reduction performance was closely related to the alkyl chain length, ligand coverage, ligand configuration, and Cu facet. The aminothiolate ligand-Cu interface significantly promoted initial CO2 activation and lowered the activation barrier of carbon-carbon coupling through the organic (nitrogen (N)) and inorganic (Cu) interfacial active sites. Experimentally, the selectivity and partial current density of the multicarbon products over aminothiolate-coated Cu increased by 1.5-fold and 2-fold, respectively, as compared to the pristine Cu at -1.16 VRHE, consistent with our theoretical findings. This work highlights the promising strategy of designing the ligand-metal interface for CO2 reactive capture and conversion to multicarbon products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Wan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - Zhengyang Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - Heba Morgan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - Jinquan Shi
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
- Energy Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Fan Shi
- National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236, United States
| | - Mengxia Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
- Energy Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Hsi-Wu Wong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - Zhiyong Gu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - Fanglin Che
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
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15
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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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16
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Jiang Z, Clavaguéra C, Hu C, Denisov SA, Shen S, Hu F, Ma J, Mostafavi M. Direct time-resolved observation of surface-bound carbon dioxide radical anions on metallic nanocatalysts. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7116. [PMID: 37932333 PMCID: PMC10628153 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42936-6] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Time-resolved identification of surface-bound intermediates on metallic nanocatalysts is imperative to develop an accurate understanding of the elementary steps of CO2 reduction. Direct observation on initial electron transfer to CO2 to form surface-bound CO2•- radicals is lacking due to the technical challenges. Here, we use picosecond pulse radiolysis to generate CO2•- via aqueous electron attachment and observe the stabilization processes toward well-defined nanoscale metallic sites. The time-resolved method combined with molecular simulations identifies surface-bound intermediates with characteristic transient absorption bands and distinct kinetics from nanosecond to the second timescale for three typical metallic nanocatalysts: Cu, Au, and Ni. The interfacial interactions are further investigated by varying the important factors, such as catalyst size and the presence of cation in the electrolyte. This work highlights fundamental ultrafast spectroscopy to clarify the critical initial step in the CO2 catalytic reduction mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Jiang
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, Anhui, P. R. China
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Carine Clavaguéra
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Changjiang Hu
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 211106, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Sergey A Denisov
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Shuning Shen
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 211106, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Feng Hu
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 211106, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Jun Ma
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, Anhui, P. R. China.
| | - Mehran Mostafavi
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, 91405, Orsay, France.
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17
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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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18
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Kong K, Li AZ, Wang Y, Shi Q, Li J, Ji K, Duan H. Electrochemical carbon-carbon coupling with enhanced activity and racemate stereoselectivity by microenvironment regulation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6925. [PMID: 37903827 PMCID: PMC10616095 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42724-2] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Enzymes are characteristic of catalytic efficiency and specificity by maneuvering multiple components in concert at a confined nanoscale space. However, achieving such a configuration in artificial catalysts remains challenging. Herein, we report a microenvironment regulation strategy by modifying carbon paper with hexadecyltrimethylammonium cations, delivering electrochemical carbon-carbon coupling of benzaldehyde with enhanced activity and racemate stereoselectivity. The modified electrode-electrolyte interface creates an optimal microenvironment for electrocatalysis-it engenders dipolar interaction with the reaction intermediate, giving a 2.2-fold higher reaction rate (from 0.13 to 0.28 mmol h-1 cm-2); Moreover, it repels interfacial water and modulates the conformational specificity of reaction intermediate by facilitating intermolecular hydrogen bonding, affording 2.5-fold higher diastereomeric ratio of racemate to mesomer (from 0.73 to 1.82). We expect that the microenvironment regulation strategy will lead to the advanced design of electrode-electrolyte interface for enhanced activity and (stereo)selectivity that mimics enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejian Kong
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - An-Zhen Li
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiujin Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Kaiyue Ji
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Haohong Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials, (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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19
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Zhao K, Yu H, Xiong H, Lu Q, Gao YQ, Xu B. Action at a distance: organic cation induced long range organization of interfacial water enhances hydrogen evolution and oxidation kinetics. Chem Sci 2023; 14:11076-11087. [PMID: 37860648 PMCID: PMC10583708 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03300g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineering efficient electrode-electrolyte interfaces for the hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions (HOR/HER) is central to the growing hydrogen economy. Existing descriptors for HOR/HER catalysts focused on species that could directly impact the immediate micro-environment of surface-mediated reactions, such as the binding energies of adsorbates. In this work, we demonstrate that bulky organic cations, such as tetrapropyl ammonium, are able to induce a long-range structure of interfacial water molecules and enhance the HOR/HER kinetics even though they are located outside the outer Helmholtz plane. Through a combination of electrokinetic analysis, molecular dynamics and in situ spectroscopic investigations, we propose that the structure-making ability of bulky hydrophobic cations promotes the formation of hydrogen-bonded water chains connecting the electrode surface to the bulk electrolyte. In alkaline electrolytes, the HOR/HER involve the activation of interfacial water by donating or abstracting protons. The structural diffusion mechanism of protons in aqueous electrolytes enables water molecules and cations located at a distance from the electrode to influence surface-mediated reactions. The findings reported in this work highlight the prospect of leveraging the nonlocal mechanism to enhance electrocatalytic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyue Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Hao Yu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Haocheng Xiong
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
| | - Qi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
| | - Yi Qin Gao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Bingjun Xu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
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20
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Le JB, Chen A, Kuang Y, Cheng J. Molecular understanding of cation effects on double layers and their significance to CO-CO dimerization. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad105. [PMID: 37842071 PMCID: PMC10575609 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cation effects have been shown in numerous experiments to play a significant role in electrocatalysis. To understand these effects at the molecular level, we systematically investigate the structures and capacitances of electric double layers with a variety of cations as counter charges at Pt(111)-COad/water interfaces with ab initio molecular dynamics. It is encouraging to find that the computed Helmholtz capacitances for different cations are in quantitative agreement with experiments, and that the trend of cation effects on capacitances shows clear correlation with the structures of interface cations of differing sizes and hydration energies. More importantly, we demonstrate the Helmholtz capacitance as the key descriptor for measuring the activity of CO-CO dimerization, the rate-determining step for C2+ formation in electroreduction of CO and CO2. Our work provides atomistic insights into cation effects on electric double layers and electrocatalysis that are crucial for optimizing electrode and electrolyte materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Ao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yongbo Kuang
- 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
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361100, China
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21
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Weng S, Toh WL, Surendranath Y. Weakly Coordinating Organic Cations Are Intrinsically Capable of Supporting CO 2 Reduction Catalysis. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37486158 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The rates and selectivity of electrochemical CO2 reduction are known to be strongly influenced by the identity of alkali metal cations in the medium. However, experimentally, it remains unclear whether cation effects arise predominantly from coordinative stabilization of surface intermediates or from changes in the mean-field electrostatic environment at the interface. Herein, we show that Au- and Ag-catalyzed CO2 reduction can occur in the presence of weakly coordinating (poly)tetraalkylammonium cations. Through competition experiments in which the catalytic activity of Au was monitored as a function of the ratio of the organic to metal cation, we identify regimes in which the organic cation exclusively controls CO2 reduction selectivity and activity. We observe substantial CO production in this regime, suggesting that CO2 reduction catalysis can occur in the absence of Lewis acidic cations, and thus, coordinative interactions between the electrolyte cations and surface-bound intermediates are not required for CO2 activation. For both Au and Ag, we find that tetraalkylammonium cations support catalytic activity for CO2 reduction on par with alkali metal cations but with distinct cation activity trends between Au and Ag. These findings support a revision in electrolyte design rules to include water-soluble organic cation salts as potential supporting electrolytes for CO2 electrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Weng
- 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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22
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Qu J, Cao X, Gao L, Li J, Li L, Xie Y, Zhao Y, Zhang J, Wu M, Liu H. Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction to Ethylene: From Mechanistic Understanding to Catalyst Surface Engineering. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2023; 15:178. [PMID: 37433948 PMCID: PMC10336000 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-023-01146-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) provides a promising way to convert CO2 to chemicals. The multicarbon (C2+) products, especially ethylene, are of great interest due to their versatile industrial applications. However, selectively reducing CO2 to ethylene is still challenging as the additional energy required for the C-C coupling step results in large overpotential and many competing products. Nonetheless, mechanistic understanding of the key steps and preferred reaction pathways/conditions, as well as rational design of novel catalysts for ethylene production have been regarded as promising approaches to achieving the highly efficient and selective CO2RR. In this review, we first illustrate the key steps for CO2RR to ethylene (e.g., CO2 adsorption/activation, formation of *CO intermediate, C-C coupling step), offering mechanistic understanding of CO2RR conversion to ethylene. Then the alternative reaction pathways and conditions for the formation of ethylene and competitive products (C1 and other C2+ products) are investigated, guiding the further design and development of preferred conditions for ethylene generation. Engineering strategies of Cu-based catalysts for CO2RR-ethylene are further summarized, and the correlations of reaction mechanism/pathways, engineering strategies and selectivity are elaborated. Finally, major challenges and perspectives in the research area of CO2RR are proposed for future development and practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junpeng Qu
- Joint International Laboratory on Environmental and Energy Frontier Materials, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianjun Cao
- Joint International Laboratory on Environmental and Energy Frontier Materials, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Gao
- Joint International Laboratory on Environmental and Energy Frontier Materials, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiayi Li
- Joint International Laboratory on Environmental and Energy Frontier Materials, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Li
- Joint International Laboratory on Environmental and Energy Frontier Materials, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhan Xie
- Centre for Clean Energy Technology, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Yufei Zhao
- Joint International Laboratory on Environmental and Energy Frontier Materials, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinqiang Zhang
- Centre for Clean Energy Technology, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4, Canada.
| | - Minghong Wu
- Joint International Laboratory on Environmental and Energy Frontier Materials, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hao Liu
- Centre for Clean Energy Technology, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
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23
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Zhao Y, Xu J, Huang K, Ge W, Liu Z, Lian C, Liu H, Jiang H, Li C. Dopant- and Surfactant-Tuned Electrode-Electrolyte Interface Enabling Efficient Alkynol Semi-Hydrogenation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:6516-6525. [PMID: 36913524 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical alkynol semi-hydrogenation has emerged as a sustainable and environmentally benign route for the production of high-value alkenols, featuring water as the hydrogen source instead of H2. It is highly challenging to design the electrode-electrolyte interface with efficient electrocatalysts and their matched electrolytes to break the selectivity-activity stereotype. Here, boron-doped Pd catalysts (PdB) and surfactant-modified interface are proposed to enable the simultaneous increase in alkenol selectivity and alkynol conversion. Typically, compared to pure Pd and commercial Pd/C catalysts, the PdB catalyst achieves both higher turnover frequency (139.8 h-1) and specific selectivity (above 90%) for the semi-hydrogenation of 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (MBY). Quaternary ammonium cationic surfactants that are employed as electrolyte additives are assembled at the electrified interface in response to applied bias potential, establishing an interfacial microenvironment that can facilitate alkynol transfer and hinder water transfer suitably. Eventually the hydrogen evolution reaction is inhibited and alkynol semi-hydrogenation is promoted, without inducing the decrease of alkenol selectivity. This work offers a distinct perspective on creating a suitable electrode-electrolyte interface for electrosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhao
- 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
| | - Jipeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wangxin Ge
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Cheng Lian
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Honglai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular 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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24
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Tseng C, Pennathur AK, Blauth D, Salazar N, Dawlaty JM. Direct Determination of Plasmon Enhancement Factor and Penetration Depths in Surface Enhanced IR Absorption Spectroscopy. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:3179-3184. [PMID: 36812524 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Surface Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy (SEIRAS) is a powerful tool for studying a wide range of surface and electrochemical phenomena. For most electrochemical experiments the evanescent field of an IR beam partially penetrates through a thin metal electrode deposited on top of an attenuated total reflection (ATR) crystal to interact with molecules of interest. Despite its success, a major problem that complicates quantitative interpretation of the spectra from this method is the ambiguity of the enhancement factor due to plasmon effects in metals. We developed a systematic method for measuring this, which relies upon independent determination of surface coverage by Coulometry of a surface-bound redox-active species. Following that, we measure the SEIRAS spectrum of the surface bound species, and from the knowledge of surface coverage, retrieve the effective molar absorptivity, εSEIRAS. Comparing this to the independently determined bulk molar absorptivity leads us to the enhancement factor f = εSEIRAS/εbulk. We report enhancement factors in excess of 1000 for the C-H stretches of surface bound ferrocene molecules. We additionally developed a methodical approach to measure the penetration depth of the evanescent field from the metal electrode into a thin film. Such systematic measure of the enhancement factor and penetration depth will help SEIRAS advance from a qualitative to a more quantitative method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Tseng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, California, Los Angeles 90089, United States
| | - Anuj K Pennathur
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, California, Los Angeles 90089, United States
| | - Drew Blauth
- Department of Chemistry, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Oregon 97219, United States
| | - Noemi Salazar
- Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Jahan M Dawlaty
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, California, Los Angeles 90089, United States
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25
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Liu F, Fan Z. Defect engineering of two-dimensional materials for advanced energy conversion and storage. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:1723-1772. [PMID: 36779475 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00931e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
In the global trend towards carbon neutrality, sustainable energy conversion and storage technologies are of vital significance to tackle the energy crisis and climate change. However, traditional electrode materials gradually reach their property limits. Two-dimensional (2D) materials featuring large aspect ratios and tunable surface properties exhibit tremendous potential for improving the performance of energy conversion and storage devices. To rationally control the physical and chemical properties for specific applications, defect engineering of 2D materials has been investigated extensively, and is becoming a versatile strategy to promote the electrode reaction kinetics. Simultaneously, exploring the in-depth mechanisms underlying defect action in electrode reactions is crucial to provide profound insight into structure tailoring and property optimization. In this review, we highlight the cutting-edge advances in defect engineering in 2D materials as well as their considerable effects in energy-related applications. Moreover, the confronting challenges and promising directions are discussed for the development of advanced energy conversion and storage systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.
| | - Zhanxi Fan
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China. .,Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.,Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
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26
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Xiong H, Sun Q, Chen K, Xu Y, Chang X, Lu Q, Xu B. Correlating the Experimentally Determined CO Adsorption Enthalpy with the Electrochemical CO Reduction Performance on Cu Surfaces. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202218447. [PMID: 36655721 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202218447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
CO binding energy has been widely employed as a descriptor for effective catalysts in the electrochemical CO2 and CO reduction reactions (CO(2) RR), however, it has yet to be determined experimentally at electrochemical interfaces due to the lack of suitable techniques. In this work, we developed a method to determine the standard adsorption enthalpy of CO on Cu surfaces with quantitative surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy. On dendritic Cu at -0.75 V vs. SHE, the standard adsorption enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy were determined to 1.5±0.5 kJ mol-1 , ≈37.9±13.4 J/(mol K), and ≈-9.8±4.0 kJ mol-1 , respectively. Comparison of the standard adsorption enthalpy of oxide-derived Cu and dendritic Cu, as well as their CORR activities, suggests the presence of stronger binding sites on OD Cu, which could favor multicarbon products. The method developed in this work will help establish the correlation between the CO binding energy and the CO(2) RR activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haocheng Xiong
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiwen Sun
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Kedang Chen
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yifei Xu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xiaoxia Chang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Bingjun Xu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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27
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Huang J. Zooming into the Inner Helmholtz Plane of Pt(111)-Aqueous Solution Interfaces: Chemisorbed Water and Partially Charged Ions. JACS AU 2023; 3:550-564. [PMID: 36873696 PMCID: PMC9975841 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The double layer on transition metals, i.e., platinum, features chemical metal-solvent interactions and partially charged chemisorbed ions. Chemically adsorbed solvent molecules and ions are situated closer to the metal surface than electrostatically adsorbed ions. This effect is described tersely by the concept of an inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) in classical double layer models. The IHP concept is extended here in three aspects. First, a refined statistical treatment of solvent (water) molecules considers a continuous spectrum of orientational polarizable states, rather than a few representative states, and non-electrostatic, chemical metal-solvent interactions. Second, chemisorbed ions are partially charged, rather than being electroneutral or having integral charges as in the solution bulk, with the coverage determined by a generalized, energetically distributed adsorption isotherm. The surface dipole moment induced by partially charged, chemisorbed ions is considered. Third, considering different locations and properties of chemisorbed ions and solvent molecules, the IHP is divided into two planes, namely, an AIP (adsorbed ion plane) and ASP (adsorbed solvent plane). The model is used to study how the partially charged AIP and polarizable ASP lead to intriguing double-layer capacitance curves that are different from what the conventional Gouy-Chapman-Stern model describes. The model provides an alternative interpretation for recent capacitance data of Pt(111)-aqueous solution interfaces calculated from cyclic voltammetry. This revisit brings forth questions regarding the existence of a pure double-layer region at realistic Pt(111). The implications, limitations, and possible experimental confirmation of the present model are discussed.
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28
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Bridging the complexity gap in computational heterogeneous catalysis with machine learning. Nat Catal 2023. [DOI: 10.1038/s41929-023-00911-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
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29
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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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30
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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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