Bimetallic In_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3) Catalysts Enable Highly Selective CO_(2) Electroreduction to Formate within Ultra-Broad Potential Windows

CO_(2)electrochemical reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)to formate is a hopeful pathway for reducing CO_(2)and producing high-value chemicals,which needs highly selective catalysts with ultra-broad potential windows to meet the industrial demands.Herein,the nanorod-like bimetallic ln_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3)catalysts were successfully synthesized by pyrolysis of bimetallic InBi-MOF precursors.The abundant oxygen vacancies generated from the lattice mismatch of Bi_(2)O_(3)and ln_(2)O_(3)reduced the activation energy of CO_(2)to*CO_(2)·^(-)and improved the selectivity of*CO_(2)·^(-)to formate simultaneously.Meanwhile,the carbon skeleton derived from the pyrolysis of organic framework of InBi-MOF provided a conductive network to accelerate the electrons transmission.The catalyst exhibited an ultra-broad applied potential window of 1200 mV(from-0.4 to-1.6 V vs RHE),relativistic high Faradaic efficiency of formate(99.92%)and satisfactory stability after 30 h.The in situ FT-IR experiment and DFT calculation verified that the abundant oxygen vacancies on the surface of catalysts can easily absorb CO_(2)molecules,and oxygen vacancy path is dominant pathway.This work provides a convenient method to construct high-performance bimetallic catalysts for the industrial application of CO_(2)RR.

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.

Sabatier principle guiding the design of cathode catalysts for Li-CO_(2) batteries

The Sabatier principle has been widely used for designing electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications,but it is rarely mentioned in the research of cathode catalyst of Li-CO_(2) batteries.In our work,the"volcanic"relationship between the catalytic activity and the adsorption energy of the catalyst to the intermediates is first demonstrated based on the first-principles calculation,which meets the Sabatier principle and can be used to design the cathode catalysts.The increases in the number of nitrogenvacancy in WN shift the d-band center and increase the interaction with the reactants.The catalytic activity increases first and then decreases with the increase of adsorption energy,which was proved in the experiment.The optimal catalyst for moderate adsorption of intermediate makes the thin LiaCO_(3) distribute evenly.It exhibits a median voltage difference of 0.68 V and an energy efficiency of 84.33%at20μA cm^(-2)with a limited capacity of 200μA h cm^(-2).

Tuning the product selectivity of dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation over WO_(x) modified Cu/SiO_(2) catalysts

Product selectivity and reaction pathway are highly dependent on surface structure of heterogeneous catalysts.For vapor-phase hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate(DMO),"EG route"(DMO→methyl glycolate(MG)ethylene glycol(EG)→ethanol(ET))and"MA route"(DMO→MG→methyl acetate(MA))were proposed over traditional Cu based catalysts and Mo-based or Fe-based catalysts,respectively.Herein,tunable yield of ET(93.7%)and MA(72.1%)were obtained through different reaction routes over WO_(x) modified Cu/SiO_(2) catalysts,and the corresponding reaction route was further proved by kinetic study and in-situ DRIFTS technology.Mechanistic studies demonstrated that H_(2) activation ability,acid density and Cu-WO_(x) interaction on the catalysts were tuned by regulating the surface W density,which resulted in the different reaction pathway and product selectivity.What's more,high yield of MA produced from DMO hydrogenation was firstly reported with the H_(2) pressure as low as 0.5 MPa.

Molecular engineering binuclear copper catalysts for selective CO_(2) reduction to C_(2) products

Molecular copper catalysts serve as exemplary models for correlating the structure-reaction-mechanism relationship in the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction(eCO_(2)R),owing to their adaptable environments surrounding the copper metal centres.This investigation,employing density functional theory calculations,focuses on a novel family of binuclear Cu molecular catalysts.The modulation of their coordination configuration through the introduction of organic groups aims to assess their efficacy in converting CO_(2) to C_(2)products.Our findings highlight the crucial role of chemical valence state in shaping the characteristics of binuclear Cu catalysts,consequently influencing the eCO_(2)R behaviour,Notably,the Cu(Ⅱ)Cu(Ⅱ)macrocycle catalyst exhibits enhanced suppression of the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),facilitating proton trans fer and the eCO_(2)R process.Fu rthermore,we explo re the impact of diverse electro n-withdrawing and electron-donating groups coordinated to the macrocycle(R=-F,-H,and-OCH_3)on the electron distribution in the molecular catalysts.Strategic placement of-OCH_3 groups in the macrocycles leads to a favourable oxidation state of the Cu centres and subsequent C-C coupling to form C_(2) products.This research provides fundamental insights into the design and optimization of binuclear Cu molecular catalysts for the electrochemical conversion of CO_(2) to value-added C_(2) products.

CO_(2)-assisted oxidation dehydrogenation of light alkanes over metal-based heterogeneous catalysts

Light olefins are important platform feedstocks in the petrochemical industry,and the ongoing global economic development has driven sustained growth in demand for these compounds.The dehydrogenation of alkanes,derived from shale gas,serves as an alternative olefins production route.Concurrently,the target of realizing carbon neutrality promotes the comprehensive utilization of greenhouse gas.The integrated process of light alkanes dehydrogenation and carbon dioxide reduction(CO_(2)-ODH)can produce light olefins and realize resource utilization of CO_(2),which has gained wide popularity.With the introduction of CO_(2),coke deposition and metal reduction encountered in alkanes dehydrogenation reactions can be effectively suppressed.CO_(2)-assisted alkanes dehydrogenation can also reduce the risk of potential explosion hazard associated with O_(2)-oxidative dehydrogenation reactions.Recent investigations into various metal-based catalysts including mono-and bi-metallic alloys and oxides have displayed promising performances due to their unique properties.This paper provides the comprehensive review and critical analysis of advancements in the CO_(2)-assisted oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes(C2-C4)on metal-based catalysts developed in recent years.Moreover,it offers a comparative summary of the structural properties,catalytic activities,and reaction mechanisms over various active sites,providing valuable insights for the future design of dehydrogenation catalysts.

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.

Ca and Sr co-doping induced oxygen vacancies in 3DOM La_(2-x)Sr_(x)Ce_(2-y)CayO_(7-δ)catalysts for boosting low-temperature oxidative coupling of methane

It is urgent to develop catalysts with application potential for oxidative coupling of methane(OCM)at relatively lower temperature.Herein,three-dimensional ordered macro porous(3 DOM)La_(2-x)Sr_(x)Ce_(2-y)CayO_(7-δ)(A_(2)B_(2)O_(7)-type)catalysts with disordered defective cubic fluorite phased structure were successfully prepared by a colloidal crystal template method.3DOM structure promotes the accessibility of the gaseous reactants(O2and CH4)to the active sites.The co-doping of Ca and Sr ions in La_(2-x)Sr_(x)Ce_(2-y)CayO_(7-δ)catalysts improved the formation of oxygen vacancies,thereby leading to increased density of surface-active oxygen species(O_(2)^(-))for the activation of CH4and the formation of C2products(C2H6and C2H4).3DOM La_(2-x)Sr_(x)Ce_(2-y)CayO_(7-δ)catalysts exhibit high catalytic activity for OCM at low temperature.3DOM La1.7Sr0.3Ce1.7Ca0.3O7-δcatalyst with the highest density of O_(2)^(-)species exhibited the highest catalytic activity for low-temperature OCM,i.e.,its CH4conversion,selectivity and yield of C2products at 650℃are 32.2%,66.1%and 21.3%,respectively.The mechanism was proposed that the increase in surface oxygen vacancies induced by the co-doping of Ca and Sr ions boosts the key step of C-H bond breaking and C-C bond coupling in catalyzing low-temperature OCM.It is meaningful for the development of the low-temperature and high-efficient catalysts for OCM reaction in practical application.

Single-atom catalysts based on polarization switching of ferroelectric In_(2)Se_(3) for N_(2) reduction

The polarization switching plays a crucial role in controlling the final products in the catalytic pro-cess.The effect of polarization orientation on nitrogen reduction was investigated by anchoring transition metal atoms to form active centers on ferroelectric material In_(2)Se_(3).During the polariza-tion switching process,the difference in surface electrostatic potential leads to a redistribution of electronic states.This affects the interaction strength between the adsorbed small molecules and the catalyst substrate,thereby altering the reaction barrier.In addition,the surface states must be considered to prevent the adsorption of other small molecules(such as *O,*OH,and *H).Further-more,the V@↓-In_(2)Se_(3) possesses excellent catalytic properties,high electrochemical and thermody-namic stability,which facilitates the catalytic process.Machine learning also helps us further ex-plore the underlying mechanisms.The systematic investigation provides novel insights into the design and application of two-dimensional switchable ferroelectric catalysts for various chemical processes.

Accelerating the Screening of Modified MA_(2)Z_(4) Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by Deep Learning-Based Local Geometric Analysis

Machine learning(ML)integrated with density functional theory(DFT)calculations have recently been used to accelerate the design and discovery of single-atom catalysts(SACs)by establishing deep structure–activity relationships.The traditional ML models are always difficult to identify the structural differences among the single-atom systems with different modification methods,leading to the limitation of the potential application range.Aiming to the structural properties of several typical two-dimensional MA_(2)Z_(4)-based single-atom systems(bare MA_(2)Z_(4) and metal single-atom doped/supported MA_(2)Z_(4)),an improved crystal graph convolutional neural network(CGCNN)classification model was employed,instead of the traditional machine learning regression model,to address the challenge of incompatibility in the studied systems.The CGCNN model was optimized using crystal graph representation in which the geometric configuration was divided into active layer,surface layer,and bulk layer(ASB-GCNN).Through ML and DFT calculations,five potential single-atom hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)catalysts were screened from chemical space of 600 MA_(2)Z_(4)-based materials,especially V_(1)/HfSn_(2)N_(4)(S)with high stability and activity(Δ_(GH*)is 0.06 eV).Further projected density of states(pDOS)analysis in combination with the wave function analysis of the SAC-H bond revealed that the SAC-dz^(2)orbital coincided with the H-s orbital around the energy level of−2.50 eV,and orbital analysis confirmed the formation ofσbonds.This study provides an efficient multistep screening design framework of metal single-atom catalyst for HER systems with similar two-dimensional supports but different geometric configurations.

Single-atom catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons and oxygenates

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide offers a sound and economically viable technology for the electrification and decarbonization of the chemical and fuel industries.In this technology,an electrocatalytic material and renewable energy-generated electricity drive the conversion of carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals and carbon-neutral fuels.Over the past few years,single-atom catalysts have been intensively studied as they could provide near-unity atom utilization and unique catalytic performance.Single-atom catalysts have become one of the state-of-the-art catalyst materials for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide.However,it remains a challenge for single-atom catalysts to facilitate the efficient conversion of carbon dioxide into products beyond carbon monoxide.In this review,we summarize and present important findings and critical insights from studies on the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction into hydrocarbons and oxygenates using single-atom catalysts.It is hoped that this review gives a thorough recapitulation and analysis of the science behind the catalysis of carbon dioxide into more reduced products through singleatom catalysts so that it can be a guide for future research and development on catalysts with industry-ready performance for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals and carbon-neutral fuels.

Current Status and Perspectives of Dual-Atom Catalysts Towards Sustainable Energy Utilization

The exploration of sustainable energy utilization requires the imple-mentation of advanced electrochemical devices for efficient energy conversion and storage,which are enabled by the usage of cost-effective,high-performance electro-catalysts.Currently,heterogeneous atomically dispersed catalysts are considered as potential candidates for a wide range of applications.Compared to conventional cata-lysts,atomically dispersed metal atoms in carbon-based catalysts have more unsatu-rated coordination sites,quantum size effect,and strong metal-support interactions,resulting in exceptional catalytic activity.Of these,dual-atomic catalysts(DACs)have attracted extensive attention due to the additional synergistic effect between two adja-cent metal atoms.DACs have the advantages of full active site exposure,high selectiv-ity,theoretical 100%atom utilization,and the ability to break the scaling relationship of adsorption free energy on active sites.In this review,we summarize recent research advancement of DACs,which includes(1)the comprehensive understanding of the synergy between atomic pairs;(2)the synthesis of DACs;(3)characterization meth-ods,especially aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron spectroscopy;and(4)electrochemical energy-related applications.The last part focuses on great potential for the electrochemical catalysis of energy-related small molecules,such as oxygen reduction reaction,CO_(2) reduction reaction,hydrogen evolution reaction,and N_(2) reduction reaction.The future research challenges and opportunities are also raised in prospective section.

Porous silica nano-flowers stabilized Pt-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles as heterogeneous catalyst for efficiently synthesizing guaiacol from 2-methoxycyclohexanol

Porous silica nano-flowers(KCC-1)immobilized Pt-Pd alloy NPs(Pt-Pd/KCC-1)with different mass ratios of Pd and Pt were successfully prepared by a facile in situ one-step reduction,using hydrazinium hydroxide as a reducing agent.The as-synthesized silica nanospheres possess radial fibers with a distance of 15 nm,exhibiting a high specific surface area(443.56 m^(2)·g^(-1)).Meanwhile,the obtained Pt-Pd alloy NPs are uniformly dispersed on the silica surface with a metallic particle size of 4-6 nm,which exist as metallic Pd and Pt on the surface of monodisperse KCC-1,showing the transfer of electrons from Pd to Pt.The as-synthesized 2.5%Pt-2.5%Pd/KCC-1 exhibited excellent catalytic activity and stability for the continuous dehydrogenation of 2-methoxycyclohexanol to prepare guaiacol.Compared with Pt or Pd single metal supported catalysts,the obtained 2.5%Pt-2.5%Pd/KCC-1 shows 97.2%conversion rate of 2-methoxycyclohexanol and 76.8%selectivity for guaiacol,which attributed to the significant synergistic effect of bimetallic Pt-Pd alloy NPs.Furthermore,turn over frequency value of the obtained 2.5%Pt-2.5%Pd/KCC-1 NPs achieved 4.36 s^(-1),showing higher catalytic efficiency than other two monometallic catalysts.Reaction pathways of dehydro-aromatization of 2-methoxycyclohexanol over the obtained catalyst are proposed.Consequently,the obtained 2.5%Pt-2.5%Pd/KCC-1 NPs prove their potential in the dehydrogenation of 2-methoxycyclohexanol,while the kinetics and mechanistic study of the dehydrogenation reaction over the catalyst in a continuous fixed-bed reactor may provide valuable information for the development of green,outstanding and powerful synthetic pathway of guaiacol.

Realizing methanol synthesis from CO and water via the synergistic effect of Cu^(0)/Cu^(+)over Cu/ZrO_(2) catalyst

The optimizing utilization of ca rbon resources has drawn wide attention all over the world,while exploiting the high-efficiency catalytic routes remains a challenge.Here,a direct methanol synthesis route is realized from pure CO and H_(2)O over 10%Cu/t-ZrO_(2) catalyst,where the time yield of methanol is144.43 mmol mol_(Cu)^(-1)h^(-1)and the methanol selectivity in hydrocarbons is 100%,The Cu species highly dispersed in the t-ZrO_(2) support lead parts of them in the cationic state.The Cu^(+)sites contribute to the dissociation of H_(2)O,providing the H*source for methanol synthesis,while the formed Cu^(0) sites promote the absorption and transfer of H*during the reaction.Moreover,the H_(2)O is even a better H resource than H_(2) due to its better dissociation effectivity in this catalytic system.The present work offers a new approach for methanol synthesis from CO and new insight into the process of supplying H donor.

Metal-N_(4) model single‐atom catalyst with electroneutral quadri‐pyridine macrocyclic ligand for CO_(2) electroreduction

Metal–N–C single‐atom catalysts,mostly prepared from pyrolysis of metalorganic precursors,are widely used in heterogeneous electrocatalysis.Since metal sites with diverse local structures coexist in this type of material and it is challenging to characterize the local structure,a reliable structure–property relationship is difficult to establish.Conjugated macrocyclic complexes adsorbed on carbon support are well‐defined models to mimic the singleatom catalysts.Metal–N_(4) site with four electroneutral pyridine‐type ligands embedded in a graphene layer is the most commonly proposed structure of the active site of single‐atom catalysts,but its molecular counterpart has not been reported.In this work,we synthesized the conjugated macrocyclic complexes with a metal center(Co,Fe,or Ni)coordinated with four electroneutral pyridinic ligands as model catalysts for CO_(2) electroreduction.For comparison,the complexes with anionic quadri‐pyridine macrocyclic ligand were also prepared.The Co complex with the electroneutral ligand expressed a turnover frequency of CO formation more than an order of magnitude higher than that of the Co complex with the anionic ligand.Constrained ab initio molecular dynamics simulations based on the well‐defined structures of the model catalysts indicate that the Co complex with the electroneutral ligand possesses a stronger ability to mediate electron transfer from carbon to CO_(2).

Two-dimensional C_(2)N-based single-atom catalyst with complex microenvironment for enhanced electrochemical nitrogen reduction:A descriptor-based design

The catalytic descriptor with operational feasibility is highly desired towards rational design of high-performance catalyst especially the electrode/electrolyte solution interface working under mild conditions.Herein,we demonstrate that the descriptorΩparameterized by readily accessible intrinsic properties of metal center and coordination is highly operational and efficient in rational design of single-atom catalyst(SAC)for driving electrochemical nitrogen reduction(NRR).Using twodimensional metal(M)-B_(x)P_(y)S_(z)N_m@C_(2)N as prototype SAC models,we reveal that^(*)N_(2)+(H~++e~-)→^(*)N_(2)H acts predominantly as the potential-limiting step(PLS)of NRR on M-B_(2)P_(2)S_(2)@C_(2)N and M-B_(1)P_(1)S_(1)N_(3)@C_(2)N regardless of the distinction in coordination microenvironment.Among the 28 screened M active sites,withΩvalues close to the optimal 4,M-B_(2)P_(2)S_(2)@C_(2)N(M=V(Ω=3.53),Mo(Ω=5.12),and W(Ω=3.92))and M-B_(1)P_(1)S_(1)N_(3)@C_(2)N(M=V(Ω=3.00),Mo(Ω=4.34),and W(Ω=3.32))yield the lowered limiting potential(U_(L))as-0.45,-0.54.-0.36,-0.58,-0.25,and-0.24 V,respectively,thus making them the promising NRR catalysts.More importantly,these SACs are located around the top of volcano-shape plot of U_(L) versusΩ,re-validatingΩas an effective descriptor for accurately predicting the high-activity NRR SACs even with complex coordination.Our study unravels the relationship between active-site structure and NRR performance via the descriptorΩ,which can be applied to other important sustainable electrocatalytic reactions involving activation of small molecules viaσ-donation andπ^(*)-backdonation mechanism.

Regeneration of copper catalysts mediated by molybdenum-based oxides

Cu catalysts,known for their unparalleled catalytic capabilities due to their unique electronic structure,have faced inherent challenges in maintaining long-term effectiveness under harsh hydrogenation conditions.Here,we demonstrate a molybdenum-mediated redispersion behavior of Cu under hightemperature oxidation conditions.The oxidized Cu nanoparticles with rich metal-support interfaces tend to dissolve into the MoO_(3)support upon heating to 600℃,which facilitates the subsequent regeneration in a reducing atmosphere.A similar redispersion phenomenon is observed for Cu nanoparticles supported on Zn O-modified MoO_(3).The modification of ZnO significantly improves the performance of the Cu catalyst for CO_(2)hydrogenation to methanol,with the high activity being well maintained after four repeated oxidation-reduction cycles.In situ spectroscopic and theoretical analyses suggest that the interaction involved in the formation of the copper molybdate-like compound is the driving force for the redispersion of Cu.This method is applicable to various Mo-based oxide supports,offering a practical strategy for the regeneration of sintered Cu particles in hydrogenation applications.

Review of Iron-Based Catalysts for Carbon Dioxide Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Capturing and utilizing CO_(2)from the production process is the key to solving the excessive CO_(2)emission problem. CO_(2)hydrogenation with green hydrogen to produce olefins is an effective and promising way to utilize CO_(2)and produce valuable chemicals. The olefins can be produced by CO_(2)hydrogenation through two routes, i.e., CO_(2)-FTS (carbon dioxide Fischer- Tropsch synthesis) and MeOH (methanol-mediated), among which CO_(2)-FTS has significant advantages over MeOH in practical applications due to its relatively high CO_(2)conversion and low energy consumption potentials. However, the CO_(2)-FTS faces challenges of difficult CO_(2)activation and low olefins selectivity. Iron-based catalysts are promising for CO_(2)-FTS due to their dual functionality of catalyzing RWGS and CO-FTS reactions. This review summarizes the recent progress on iron-based catalysts for CO_(2)hydrogenation via the FTS route and analyzes the catalyst optimization from the perspectives of additives, active sites, and reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, we also outline principles and challenges for rational design of high-performance CO_(2)-FTS catalysts.

The role of copper in enhancing the performance of heteronuclear diatomic catalysts for the electrochemical CO_(2)conversion to C_(1) chemicals

Diatomic catalysts(DACs)with two adjacent metal atoms supported on graphene can offer diverse functionalities,overcoming the inherent limitations of single atom catalysts(SACs).In this study,density functional theory calculations were conducted to investigate the reactivity of the carbon dioxide(CO_(2))reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)on metal sites of both DACs and SACs,as well as their synergistic effects on activity and selectivity.Calculation of the Gibbs free energies of CO_(2)RR and associated values of the limiting potentials to generate C_(1) products showed that Cu acts as a promoter rather than an active catalytic centre in the catalytic CO_(2)conversion on heteronuclear DACs(CuN_(4)-MN_(4)),improving the catalytic activity on the other metal compared to the related SAC MN_(4).Cu enhances the initial reduction of CO_(2)by promoting orbital hybridization between the key intermediate*COOH 2p-orbitals and the metals 3d-orbitals around the Fermi level.This degree of hybridization in the DACs CuN_(4)-MN_(4) decreases from Fe to Co,Ni,and Zn.Our work demonstrates how Cu regulates the CO_(2)RR performance of heteronuclear DACs,offering an effective approach to designing practical,stable,and high-performing diatomic catalysts for CO_(2)electroreduction.

Proximity Effect of Fe-Zn Bimetallic Catalysts on CO_(2) Hydrogenation Performance

The interaction between a promoter and an active metal crucially impacts catalytic performance.Nowadays,the influence of promoter contents and species has been intensively considered.In this study,we investigate the effect of the iron(Fe)-zinc(Zn)proximity of Fe-Zn bimetallic catalysts on CO_(2)hydrogenation performance.To eliminate the size effect,Fe_(2)O_(3)and ZnO nanoparticles with uniform size are first prepared by the thermal decomposition method.By changing the loading sequence or mixing method,a series of Fe-Zn bimetallic catalysts with different Fe-Zn distances are obtained.Combined with a series of characterization techniques and catalytic performances,Fe-Zn bimetallic proximity for compositions of Fe species is discussed.Furthermore,we observe that a smaller Fe-Zn distance inhibits the reduction and carburization of the Fe species and facilitates the oxidation of carbides.Appropriate proximity of Fe and Zn(i.e.,Fe_1Zn_(1)-imp and Fe_(1)Zn_(1)-mix samples)results in a suitable ratio of the Fe_5C_(2)and Fe_(3)O_(4)phases,simultaneously promoting the reverse water-gas shift and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactions.This study provides insight into the proximity effect of bimetallic catalysts on CO_(2)hydrogenation performance.