Publication
Title
Dopant-induced electron localization drives reduction to hydrocarbons
Author
Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of CO2 to multi-carbon products has attracted much attention because it provides an avenue to the synthesis of value-added carbon-based fuels and feedstocks using renewable electricity. Unfortunately, the efficiency of CO2 conversion to C-2 products remains below that necessary for its implementation at scale. Modifying the local electronic structure of copper with positive valence sites has been predicted to boost conversion to C-2 products. Here, we use boron to tune the ratio of Cu delta+ to Cu-0 active sites and improve both stability and C-2-product generation. Simulations show that the ability to tune the average oxidation state of copper enables control over CO adsorption and dimerization, and makes it possible to implement a preference for the electrosynthesis of C-2 products. We report experimentally a C-2 Faradaic efficiency of 79 +/- 2% on boron-doped copper catalysts and further show that boron doping leads to catalysts that are stable for in excess of similar to 40 hours while electrochemically reducing CO2 to multi-carbon hydrocarbons.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Nature chemistry
Publication
2018
ISSN
1755-4330
1755-4349
DOI
10.1038/S41557-018-0092-X
Volume/pages
10 :9 (2018) , p. 974-980
ISI
000442395200013
Pubmed ID
30013194
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Colouring Atoms in 3 Dimensions (COLOURATOM).
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 08.10.2018
Last edited 02.10.2024
To cite this reference