Surface engineering of ZnO electrocatalyst by N doping towards electrochemical CO_(2) reduction

The discovery of efficient,selective,and stable electrocatalysts can be a key point to produce the largescale chemical fuels via electrochemical CO_(2) reduction(ECR).In this study,an earth-abundant and nontoxic ZnO-based electrocatalyst was developed for use in gas-diffusion electrodes(GDE),and the effect of nitrogen(N)doping on the ECR activity of ZnO electrocatalysts was investigated.Initially,a ZnO nanosheet was prepared via the hydrothermal method,and nitridation was performed at different times to control the N-doping content.With an increase in the N-doping content,the morphological properties of the nanosheet changed significantly,namely,the 2D nanosheets transformed into irregularly shaped nanoparticles.Furthermore,the ECR performance of Zn O electrocatalysts with different N-doping content was assessed in 1.0 M KHCO_(3) electrolyte using a gas-diffusion electrode-based ECR cell.While the ECR activity increased after a small amount of N doping,it decreased for higher N doping content.Among them,the N:ZnO-1 h electrocatalysts showed the best CO selectivity,with a faradaic efficiency(FE_(CO))of 92.7%at-0.73 V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE),which was greater than that of an undoped Zn O electrocatalyst(FE_(CO)of 63.4%at-0.78 V_(RHE)).Also,the N:ZnO-1 h electrocatalyst exhibited outstanding durability for 16 h,with a partial current density of-92.1 mA cm^(-2).This improvement of N:ZnO-1 h electrocatalyst can be explained by density functional theory calculations,demonstrating that this improvement of N:ZnO-1 h electrocatalyst comes from(ⅰ)the optimized active sites lowering the free energy barrier for the rate-determining step(RDS),and(ⅱ)the modification of electronic structure enhancing the electron transfer rate by N doping.

Porous metal oxides in the role of electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction

The global energy-related CO_(2) emissions have rapidly increased as the world economy heavily relied on fossil fuels.This paper explores the pressing challenge of CO_(2) emissions and highlights the role of porous metal oxide materials in the electrocatalytic reduction of CO_(2)(CO_(2)RR).The focus is on the development of robust and selective catalysts,particularly metal and metal-oxide-based materials.Porous metal oxides offer high surface area,enhancing the accessibility to active sites and improving reaction kinetics.The tunability of these materials allows for tailored catalytic behavior,targeting optimized reaction mechanisms for CO_(2)RR.The work also discusses the various synthesis strategies and identifies key structural and compositional features,addressing challenges like high overpotential,poor selectivity,and low stability.Based on these insights,we suggest avenues for future research on porous metal oxide materials for electrochemical CO_(2) reduction.

Elucidating the structure-activity relationship of Cu-Ag bimetallic catalysts for electrochemical CO_(2) reduction

Developing bimetallic catalysts is an effective strategy for enhancing the activity and selectivity of electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reactions,where understanding the structure-activity relationship is essential for catalyst design.Herein,we prepared two Cu-Ag bimetallic catalysts with Ag nanoparticles attached to the top or the bottom of Cu nanowires.When tested in a flow cell,the Cu-Ag catalyst with Ag nanoparticles on the bottom achieved a faradaic efficiency of 54%for ethylene production,much higher than the catalyst with Ag nanoparticles on the top.The catalysts were further studied in the H-cell and zero-gap MEA cell.It was found that placing the two metals in the intensified reaction zone is crucial to triggering the tandem reaction of bimetallic catalysts.Our work elucidates the structure-activity relationship of bimetallic catalysts for CO_(2) reduction and demonstrates the importance of considering both catalyst structures and cell characteristics to achieve high activity and selectivity.

Performance enhancement and active sites identification of Cu-Cd bimetallic oxide derived catalysts for electrochemical CO_(2) reduction

The development of earth-abundant electrocatalysts with high performance for electrochemical CO_(2)reduction(ECR)is of great significance.Cu-based catalysts have been widely investigated for ECR due to their unique ability to generate various carbonaceous products,but directing selectivity toward one certain product and identifying the real active sites during ECR are still full of challenge.Here,after the incorporation of CdO into CuO,the Cu_(0.5)Cd_(0.5)-O catalyst achieves a 10.3-fold enhancement for CO selectivity in comparison with CuO,and a CO faradic efficiency nearly 90%with a current density around20 mA cm^(-2)could maintain at least 60 h.Interestingly,a wide CO/H_(2)ratio(0.07-10)is reached on Cu_(x)Cd_(1-x)-O catalysts by varying the Cu/Cd ratio,demonstrating the potential of syngas production using such catalysts.The results of ex situ XRD,XPS,and in situ Raman reveal that the real active sites of Cu_(0.5)Cd_(0.5)-O catalysts for CO production during ECR reaction are the reconstructed mixed phases of CuCd alloy and CdCO_(3).In situ FTIR and theoretical calculations further implicate the presence of Cd related species promotes the CO desorption and inhibits the H_(2)evolution,thus leading to an enhanced CO generation.

Exploring the impact of Nafion modifier on electrocatalytic CO_(2) reduction over Cu catalyst

Nafion as a universal polymer ionomer was widely applied for nanocatalysts electrode preparation.However,the effect of Nafion on electrocatalytic performance was often overlooked,especially for CO_(2)electrolysis.Herein,the key roles of Nafion for CO_(2)RR were systematically studied on Cu nanoparticles(NPs)electrocatalyst.We found that Nafion modifier not only inhibit hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)by decreasing the accessibility of H_(2)O from electrolyte to Cu NPs,and increase the CO_(2)concentration at electrocatalyst interface for enhancing the CO_(2)mass transfer process,but also activate CO_(2)molecule by Lewis acid-base interaction between Nafion and CO_(2)to accelerate the formation of^(*)CO,which favor of C–C coupling for boosting C_(2)product generation.Owing to these features,the HER selectivity was suppressed from 40.6%to 16.8%on optimal Cu@Nafion electrode at-1.2 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE),and as high as 73.5%faradaic efficiencies(FEs)of C_(2)products were achieved at the same applied potential,which was 2.6 times higher than that on bare Cu electrode(~28.3%).In addition,Nafion also contributed to the long-term stability by hinder Cu NPs morphology reconstruction.Thus,this work provides insights into the impact of Nafion on electrocatalytic CO_(2)RR performance.

Engineering of oxygen vacancy and bismuth cluster assisted ultrathin Bi_(12)O_(17)Cl_(2)nanosheets with efficient and selective photoreduction of CO_(2)to CO

The photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2)into solar‐powered fuels is viewed as a forward‐looking strategy to address energy scarcity and global warming.This work demonstrated the selective photoreduction of CO_(2)to CO using ultrathin Bi_(12)O_(17)Cl_(2)nanosheets decorated with hydrothermally synthesized bismuth clusters and oxygen vacancies(OVs).The characterizations revealed that the coexistences of OVs and Bi clusters generated in situ contributed to the high efficiency of CO_(2)–CO conversion(64.3μmol g^(−1)h^(−1))and perfect selectivity.The OVs on the facet(001)of the ultrathin Bi_(12)O_(17)Cl_(2)nanosheets serve as sites for CO_(2)adsorption and activation sites,capturing photoexcited electrons and prolonging light absorption due to defect states.In addition,the Bi‐cluster generated in situ offers the ability to trap holes and the surface plasmonic resonance effect.This study offers great potential for the construction of semiconductor hybrids as multiphotocatalysts,capable of being used for the elimination and conversion of CO_(2)in terms of energy and environment.

A cascade of in situ conversion of bicarbonate to CO_(2) and CO_(2) electroreduction in a flow cell with a Ni-N-S catalyst

Combination of CO_(2) capture using inorganic alkali with subsequently electrochemical conversion of the resultant HCO_(3)^(-)to high-value chemicals is a promising route of low cost and high efficiency.The electrochemical reduction of HCO_(3)^(-)is challenging due to the inaccessible of negatively charged molecular groups to the electrode surface.Herein,we adopt a comprehensive strategy to tackle this challenge,i.e.,cascade of in situ chemical conversion of HCO_(3)^(-)to CO_(2) and CO_(2) electrochemical reduction in a flow cell.With a tailored Ni-N-S single atom catalyst(SACs),where sulfur(S)atoms located in the second shell of Ni center,the CO_(2)electroreduction(CO_(2)ER)to CO is boosted.The experimental results and density functional theory(DFT)calculations reveal that the introduction of S increases the p electron density of N atoms near Ni atom,thereby stabilizing^(*)H over N and boosting the first proton coupled electron transfer process of CO_(2)ER,i.e.,^(*)+e^(-)+^(*)H+^(*)CO_(2)→^(*)COOH.As a result,the obtained catalyst exhibits a high faradaic efficiency(FE_(CO)~98%)and a low overpotential of 425 mV for CO production as well as a superior turnover frequency(TOF)of 47397 h^(-1),outcompeting most of the reported Ni SACs.More importantly,an extremely high FECOof 90%is achieved at 50 mA cm^(-2)in the designed membrane electrode assembly(MEA)cascade electrolyzer fed with liquid bicarbonate.This work not only highlights the significant role of the second coordination on the first coordination shell of the central metal for CO_(2)ER,but also provides an alternative and feasible strategy to realize the electrochemical conversion of HCO_(3)^(-)to high-value chemicals.

MOF‐derived 1D/3D N‐doped porous carbon for spatially confined electrochemical CO2 reduction to adjustable syngas

Electrochemical reduction of CO_(2)to syngas(CO and H_(2))offers an efficient way to mitigate carbon emissions and store intermittent renewable energy in chemicals.Herein,the hierarchical one‐dimensional/three‐dimensional nitrogen‐doped porous carbon(1D/3D NPC)is prepared by carbonizing the composite of Zn‐MOF‐74 crystals in situ grown on a commercial melamine sponge(MS),for electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR).The 1D/3D NPC exhibits a high CO/H_(2)ratio(5.06)and CO yield(31 mmol g^(−1)h^(−1))at−0.55 V,which are 13.7 times and 21.4 times those of 1D porous carbon(derived from Zn‐MOF‐74)and N‐doped carbon(carbonized by MS),respectively.This is attributed to the unique spatial environment of 1D/3D NPC,which increases the adsorption capacity of CO_(2)and promotes electron transfer from the 3D N‐doped carbon framework to 1D carbon,improving the reaction kinetics of CO_(2)RR.Experimental results and charge density difference plots indicate that the active site of CO_(2)RR is the positively charged carbon atom adjacent to graphitic N on 1D carbon and the active site of HER is the pyridinic N on 1D carbon.The presence of pyridinic N and pyrrolic N reduces the number of electron transfer,decreasing the reaction kinetics and the activity of CO_(2)RR.The CO/H_(2)ratio is related to the distribution of N species and the specific surface area,which are determined by the degree of spatial confinement effect.The CO/H_(2)ratios can be regulated by adjusting the carbonization temperature to adjust the degree of spatial confinement effect.Given the low cost of feedstock and easy strategy,1D/3D NPC catalysts have great potential for industrial application.

Chalcogen heteroatoms doped nickel-nitrogen-carbon single-atom catalysts with asymmetric coordination for efficient electrochemical CO_(2) reduction

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-N_(4)-C)configuration to obtain Ni-X-N_(3)-C(X:S,Se,and Te)SACs with asymmetric coordination presented for central Ni atoms.Among these obtained Ni-X-N_(3)-C(X:S,Se,and Te)SACs,Ni-Se-N_(3)-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-N_(3)-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-N_(4)-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-N_(3)-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.

Tailoring local structures of atomically dispersed copper sites for highly selective CO_(2) electroreduction

Atomically‐dispersed copper sites coordinated with nitrogen‐doped carbon(Cu–N–C)can provide novel possibilities to enable highly selective and active electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reactions.However,the construction of optimal local electronic structures for nitrogen‐coordinated Cu sites(Cu–N_(4))on carbon remains challenging.Here,we synthesized the Cu–N–C catalysts with atomically‐dispersed edge‐hosted Cu–N_(4) sites(Cu–N_(4)C_(8))located in a micropore between two graphitic sheets via a facile method to control the concentration of metal precursor.Edge‐hosted Cu–N_(4)C_(8) catalysts outperformed the previously reported M–N–C catalysts for CO_(2)‐to‐CO conversion,achieving a maximum CO Faradaic efficiency(FECO)of 96%,a CO current density of–8.97 mA cm^(–2) at–0.8 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE),and over FECO of 90%from–0.6 to–1.0 V versus RHE.Computational studies revealed that the micropore of the graphitic layer in edge‐hosted Cu–N_(4)C_(8) sites causes the d‐orbital energy level of the Cu atom to shift upward,which in return decreases the occupancy of antibonding states in the*COOH binding.This research suggests new insights into tailoring the locally coordinated structure of the electrocatalyst at the atomic scale to achieve highly selective electrocatalytic reactions.

The photo-decomposition and self-restructuring dynamic equilibrium mechanism of Cu_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)for stable photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction

Developing suitable photocatalysts and understanding their intrinsic catalytic mechanism remain key challenges in the pursuit of highly active,good selective,and long-term stable photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction(PCO_(2)R)systems.Herein,monoclinic Cu_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)is firstly proven to be a new class of photocatalyst,which has excellent catalytic stability and selectivity for PCO_(2)R in the absence of any sacrificial agent and cocatalysts.Based on a Cu_(2)(OH)_(2)^(13)CO_(3)photocatalyst and 13CO_(2)two-sided^(13)C isotopic tracer strategy,and combined with in situ diffused reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy(DRIFTS)analysis and density functional theory(DFT)calculations,two main CO_(2)transformation routes,and the photo-decomposition and self-restructuring dynamic equilibrium mechanism of Cu_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)are definitely revealed.The PCO_(2)R activity of Cu_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)is comparable to some of state-of-the-art novel photocatalysts.Significantly,the PCO_(2)R properties can be further greatly enhanced by simply combining Cu_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)with typical TiO_(2)to construct composites photocatalyst.The highest CO_(2)and CH_(4)production rates by 7.5 wt%Cu_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)-TiO_(2)reach 16.4μmol g^(-1)h^(-1)and 116.0μmol g^(-1)h^(-1),respectively,which are even higher than that of some of PCO_(2)R systems containing sacrificial agents or precious metals modified photocatalysts.This work provides a better understanding for the PCO_(2)R mechanism at the atomic levels,and also indicates that basic carbonate photocatalysts have broad application potential in the future.

Cobalt phthalocyanine promoted copper catalysts toward enhanced electro reduction of CO_(2)to C_(2):Synergistic catalysis or tandem catalysis?

The activity and selectivity of electrocatalytic CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)to C_(2)products on metal catalysts can be regulated by molecular surfactants.However,the mechanism behind it remains elusive and debatable.Herein,copper nanowires(Cu NWs)were fabricated and decorated with cobalt phthalocyanine(CoPc).The electronic interaction between the Cu NWs,CoPc,CO_(2) and CO_(2)RR intermediates were explored by density functional theory(DFT)calculations.It was found that the selectivity and activity of CO_(2)RR towards C_(2)products on Cu NWs were considerably enhanced from 35.2%to 69.9%by surface decoration of CoPc.DFT calculations revealed that CO_(2)RR can proceed in the interphase between Cu substrate and CoPc,and the CO_(2)RR intermediates could synergistically bond with both Cu and Co metal centre in CuNWs-CoPc,which favours the adsorption of CO_(2),CO and CO_(2)RR intermediates,thus reducing the free energy for CO-COcoupling towards C_(2)products.The synergistic interaction was further extended to phthalocyanine(Pc)and other metal phthalocyanine derivatives(MPc),where a relatively weaker synergistic interaction of COintermediates with MPc and Cu substrate and only a slight enhancement of CO_(2)RR towards C_(2) products were observed.This study demonstrates a synergistic catalysis pathway for CO_(2)RR,a novel perspective in interpreting the role of CoPc in enhancing the activity and selectivity of CO_(2)RR on Cu NWs,in contrast to the conventional tandem catalysis mechanism.

Ligand modulation of active center to promote lead-free Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction

Metal halide perovskites(MHP)are potential candidates for the photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2)due to their long photogenerated carrier lifetime and charge diffusion length.However,the conventional long-chain ligand impedes the adsorption and activation of CO_(2)molecules in practical applications.Here,a ligand modulation technology is employed to enhance the photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction activity of lead-free Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)microcrystals(MCs).The Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)MCs passivated by Oleic acid(OLA)and Octanoic acid(OCA)are used for photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction.The results show that the surface defects and electronic properties of Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)MCs can be adjusted through ligand modulation.Compared with the OLA-Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6),the OCA-Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)catalyst demonstrated a significant improvement in the catalytic yield of CO and CH_(4).The CO and CH_(4)catalytic yields of OCA-Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)reached 171.88 and34.15μmol g^(-1)h^(-1)which were 2.03 and 12.98 times higher than those of OLA-Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6),and the total electron consumption rate of OCA-Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)was 615.2μmol g^(-1)h^(-1)which was 3.25 times higher than that of OLA-Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6).Furthermore,in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectra revealed the enhancement of photocatalytic activity in Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)MCs induced by ligand modulation.This study illustrates the potential of lead-free Cs_(2)AgInCl_(6)MCs for efficient photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction and provides a ligand modulation strategy for the active promotion of MHP photocatalysts.

Poly(ethylenimine)-assisted synthesis of hollow carbon spheres comprising multi-sized Ni species for CO_(2) electroreduction

Electrochemical CO_(2) reduction to produce value-added chemicals and fuels is one of the research hotspots in the field of energy conversion.The development of efficient catalysts with high conductivity and readily accessible active sites for CO_(2) electroreduction remains challenging yet indispensable.In this work,a reliable poly(ethyleneimine)(PEI)-assisted strategy is developed to prepare a hollow carbon nanocomposite comprising a single-site Ni-modified carbon shell and confined Ni nanoparticles(NPs)(denoted as Ni@NHCS),where PEI not only functions as a mediator to induce the highly dispersed growth of Ni NPs within hollow carbon spheres,but also as a nitrogen precursor to construct highly active atomically-dispersed Ni-Nx sites.Benefiting from the unique structural properties of Ni@NHCS,the aggregation and exposure of Ni NPs can be effectively prevented,while the accessibility of abundant catalytically active Ni-Nx sites can be ensured.As a result,Ni@NHCS exhibits a high CO partial current density of 26.9 mA cm^(-2) and a Faradaic efficiency of 93.0% at-1.0 V vs.RHE,outperforming those of its PEI-free analog.Apart from the excellent activity and selectivity,the shell confinement effect of the hollow carbon sphere endows this catalyst with long-term stability.The findings here are anticipated to help understand the structure-activity relationship in Ni-based carbon catalyst systems for electrocatalytic CO_(2) reduction.Furthermore,the PEI-assisted synthetic concept is potentially applicable to the preparation of high-performance metal-based nanoconfined materials tailored for diverse energy conversion applications and beyond.

Designing Membrane Electrode Assembly for Electrochemical CO_(2)Reduction:a Review

Currently, the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction (CO_(2) RR) can realize the resource conversion of CO_(2) , which is a promising approach to carbon resource use. Important advancements have been made in exploring the CO_(2) RR performance and mechanism because of the rational design of electrolyzer systems, such as H-cells, flow cells, and catalysts. Considering the future development direction of this technology and large-scale application needs, membrane electrode assembly (MEA) systems can improve energy use efficiency and achieve large-scale CO_(2) conversion, which is considered the most promising technology for industrial applications. This review will concentrate on the research progress and present situation of the MEA component structure. This paper begins with the composition and construction of a gas diff usion electrode. Then, the application of ion-exchange membranes in MEA is introduced. Furthermore, the eff ects of pH and the anion and cation of the anolyte on MEA performance are explored. Additionally, we present the anode reaction type in MEA. Finally, the challenges in this field are summarized, and upcoming trends are projected. This review should offer researchers a clearer picture of MEA systems and provide important, timely, and valuable insights into rational electrolyzer design to facilitate further development of CO_(2) electrochemical reduction.

A novel metal-free porous covalent organic polymer for efficient room-temperature photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction via dry-reforming of methane

At room temperature,the conversion of greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals using metal-free catalysts for dry reforming of methane(DRM) is quite promising and challenging.Herein,we developed a novel covalent organic porous polymer (TPE-COP) with rapid charge separation of the electron–hole pairs for DRM driven by visible light at room temperature,which can efficiently generate syngas (CO and H_(2)).Both electron donor (tris(4-aminophenyl)amine,TAPA) and acceptor (4,4',4'',4'''-((1 E,1'E,1''E,1'''E)-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayltetrakis (benzene-4,1-diyl))tetrakis (ethene-2,1-diyl))tetrakis (1-(4-formylbenzyl)quinolin-1-ium),TPE-CHO) were existed in TPE-COP,in which the push–pull effect between them promoted the separation of photogenerated electron–hole,thus greatly improving the photocatalytic activity.Density functional theory (DFT) simulation results show that TPE-COP can form charge-separating species under light irradiation,leading to electrons accumulation in TPE-CHO unit and holes in TAPA,and thus efficiently initiating DRM.After 20 h illumination,the photocatalytic results show that the yields reach 1123.6 and 30.8μmol g^(-1)for CO and H_(2),respectively,which are significantly higher than those of TPE-CHO small molecules.This excellent result is mainly due to the increase of specific surface area,the enhancement of light absorption capacity,and the improvement of photoelectron-generating efficiency after the formation of COP.Overall,this work contributes to understanding the advantages of COP materials for photocatalysis and fundamentally pushes metal-free catalysts into the door of DRM field.

Effects of surface chlorine atoms on charge distribution and reaction barriers for photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction

Photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction to produce high value-added carbon-based fuel has been proposed as a promising approach to mitigate global warming issues.However,the conversion efficiency and product selectivity are still low due to the sluggish dynamics of transfer processes involved in proton-assisted multi-electron reactions.Lowering the formation energy barriers of intermediate products is an effective method to enhance the selectivity and productivity of final products.In this study,we aim to regulate the surface electronic structure of Bi_(2)WO_(6)by doping surface chlorine atoms to achieve effective photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction.Surface Cl atoms can enhance the absorption ability of light,affect its energy band structure and promote charge separation.Combined with DFT calculations,it is revealed that surface Cl atoms can not only change the surface charge distribution which affects the competitive adsorption of H_(2)O and CO_(2),but also lower the formation energy barrier of intermediate products to generate more intermediate*COOH,thus facilitating CO production.Overall,this study demonstrates a promising surface halogenation strategy to enhance the photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction activity of a layered structure Bi-based catalyst.

Highly selective photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) to CH_(4) on electron-rich Fe species cocatalyst under visible light irradiation

Efficient photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) to high-calorific-value CH4,an ideal target product,is a blueprint for C_(1)industry relevance and carbon neutrality,but it also faces great challenges.Herein,we demonstrate unprecedented hybrid SiC photocatalysts modified by Fe-based cocatalyst,which are prepared via a facile impregnation-reduction method,featuring an optimized local electronic structure.It exhibits a superior photocatalytic carbon-based products yield of 30.0μmol g^(−1) h^(−1) and achieves a record CH_(4) selectivity of up to 94.3%,which highlights the effectiveness of electron-rich Fe cocatalyst for boosting photocatalytic performance and selectivity.Specifically,the synergistic effects of directional migration of photogenerated electrons and strongπ-back bonding on low-valence Fe effectively strengthen the adsorption and activation of reactants and intermediates in the CO_(2)→CH_(4) pathway.This study inspires an effective strategy for enhancing the multielectron reduction capacity of semiconductor photocatalysts with low-cost Fe instead of noble metals as cocatalysts.

Applications of Metal–Organic Frameworks and Their Derivatives in Electrochemical CO_(2)Reduction

Electrochemically reducing CO_(2)to more reduced chemical species is a promising way that not only enables the conversion of intermittent energy resources to stable fuels,but also helps to build a closed-loop anthropogenic carbon cycle.Among various electrocatalysts for electrochemical CO_(2)reduction,multifunctional metal–organic frameworks(MOFs)have been employed as highly efficient and selective heterogeneous electrocatalysts due to their ultrahigh porosity and topologically diverse structures.Up to now,great progress has been achieved in the design and synthesis of highly active and selective MOF-related catalysts for electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),and their corresponding reaction mechanisms have been thoroughly studied.In this review,we summarize the recent progress of applying MOFs and their derivatives in CO_(2)RR,with a focus on the design strategies for electrocatalysts and electrolyzers.We first discussed the reaction mechanisms for different CO_(2)RR products and introduced the commonly applied electrolyzer configurations in the current CO_(2)RR system.Then,an overview of several categories of products(CO,HCOOH,CH_(4),CH_(3)OH,and multi-carbon chemicals)generated from MOFs or their derivatives via CO_(2)RR was discussed.Finally,we offer some insights and perspectives for the future development of MOFs and their derivatives in electrochemical CO_(2)reduction.We aim to provide new insights into this field and further guide future research for large-scale applications.

Controllably partial removal of thiolate ligands from unsupported Au_(25) nanoclusters by rapid thermal treatments for electrochemical CO_(2)reduction

Colloidal synthesis of metal nanoclusters will inevitably lead to the blockage of catalytically active sites by organic ligands.Here,taking[Au_(25)(PET)_(18)]-(PET=2-phenylethanethiol)nanocluster as a model catalyst,this work reports a feasible procedure to achieve the controllably partial removal of thiolate ligands from unsupported[Au_(25)(PET)_(18)]-nanoclusters with the preservation of the core structure.This procedure shortens the processing duration by rapid heating and cooling on the basis of traditional annealing treatment,avoiding the reconfiguration or agglomeration of Au_(25)nanoclusters,where the degree of dethiolation can be regulated by the control of duration.This work finds that a moderate degree of dethiolation can expose the Au active sites while maintaining the suppression of the competing hydrogen evolution reaction.Consequently,the activity and selectivity towards CO formation in electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction of Au_(25)nanoclusters can be promoted.This work provides a new approach for the removal of thiolate ligands from atomically precise gold nanoclusters.