The electronic configuration of central metal atoms in single-atom catalysts(SACs)is pivotal in electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(eCO_(2)RR).Herein,chalcogen heteroatoms(e.g.,S,Se,and Te)were incorporated into ...The electronic configuration of central metal atoms in single-atom catalysts(SACs)is pivotal in electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(eCO_(2)RR).Herein,chalcogen heteroatoms(e.g.,S,Se,and Te)were incorporated into the symmetric nickel-nitrogen-carbon(Ni-N4-C)configuration to obtain Ni-X-N3-C(X:S,Se,and Te)SACs with asymmetric coordination presented for central Ni atoms.Among these obtained Ni-X-N3-C(X:S,Se,and Te)SACs,Ni-Se-N3-C exhibited superior eCO_(2)RR activity,with CO selectivity reaching~98%at-0.70 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE).The Zn-CO_(2)battery integrated with Ni-Se-N3-C as cathode and Zn foil as anode achieved a peak power density of 1.82 mW cm-2 and maintained remarkable rechargeable stability over 20 h.In-situ spectral investigations and theoretical calculations demonstrated that the chalcogen heteroatoms doped into the Ni-N4-C configuration would break coordination symmetry and trigger charge redistribution,and then regulate the intermediate behaviors and thermodynamic reaction pathways for eCO_(2)RR.Especially,for Ni-Se-N3-C,the introduced Se atoms could significantly raise the d-band center of central Ni atoms and thus remarkably lower the energy barrier for the rate-determining step of*COOH formation,contributing to the promising eCO_(2)RR performance for high selectivity CO production by competing with hydrogen evolution reaction.展开更多
文摘The electronic configuration of central metal atoms in single-atom catalysts(SACs)is pivotal in electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(eCO_(2)RR).Herein,chalcogen heteroatoms(e.g.,S,Se,and Te)were incorporated into the symmetric nickel-nitrogen-carbon(Ni-N4-C)configuration to obtain Ni-X-N3-C(X:S,Se,and Te)SACs with asymmetric coordination presented for central Ni atoms.Among these obtained Ni-X-N3-C(X:S,Se,and Te)SACs,Ni-Se-N3-C exhibited superior eCO_(2)RR activity,with CO selectivity reaching~98%at-0.70 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE).The Zn-CO_(2)battery integrated with Ni-Se-N3-C as cathode and Zn foil as anode achieved a peak power density of 1.82 mW cm-2 and maintained remarkable rechargeable stability over 20 h.In-situ spectral investigations and theoretical calculations demonstrated that the chalcogen heteroatoms doped into the Ni-N4-C configuration would break coordination symmetry and trigger charge redistribution,and then regulate the intermediate behaviors and thermodynamic reaction pathways for eCO_(2)RR.Especially,for Ni-Se-N3-C,the introduced Se atoms could significantly raise the d-band center of central Ni atoms and thus remarkably lower the energy barrier for the rate-determining step of*COOH formation,contributing to the promising eCO_(2)RR performance for high selectivity CO production by competing with hydrogen evolution reaction.