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Chen L, Yu C, Dong J, Han Y, Huang H, Li W, Zhang Y, Tan X, Qiu J. Seawater electrolysis for fuels and chemicals production: fundamentals, achievements, and perspectives. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:7455-7488. [PMID: 38855878 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00822c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Seawater electrolysis for the production of fuels and chemicals involved in onshore and offshore plants powered by renewable energies offers a promising avenue and unique advantages for energy and environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, seawater electrolysis presents long-term challenges and issues, such as complex composition, potential side reactions, deposition of and poisoning by microorganisms and metal ions, as well as corrosion, thus hindering the rapid development of seawater electrolysis technology. This review focuses on the production of value-added fuels (hydrogen and beyond) and fine chemicals through seawater electrolysis, as a promising step towards sustainable energy development and carbon neutrality. The principle of seawater electrolysis and related challenges are first introduced, and the redox reaction mechanisms of fuels and chemicals are summarized. Strategies for operating anodes and cathodes including the development and application of chloride- and impurity-resistant electrocatalysts/membranes are reviewed. We comprehensively summarize the production of fuels and chemicals (hydrogen, carbon monoxide, sulfur, ammonia, etc.) at the cathode and anode via seawater electrolysis, and propose other potential strategies for co-producing fine chemicals, even sophisticated and electronic chemicals. Seawater electrolysis can drive the oxidation and upgrading of industrial pollutants or natural organics into value-added chemicals or degrade them into harmless substances, which would be meaningful for environmental protection. Finally, the perspective and prospects are outlined to address the challenges and expand the application of seawater electrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Chang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Junting Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Yingnan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Hongling Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Wenbin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Yafang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Xinyi Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Jieshan Qiu
- State Key Lab of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
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Chen H, Iyer J, Liu Y, Krebs S, Deng F, Jentys A, Searles DJ, Haider MA, Khare R, Lercher JA. Mechanism of Electrocatalytic H 2 Evolution, Carbonyl Hydrogenation, and Carbon-Carbon Coupling on Cu. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:13949-13961. [PMID: 38739624 PMCID: PMC11117180 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c01911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Aqueous-phase electrocatalytic hydrogenation of benzaldehyde on Cu leads not only to benzyl alcohol (the carbonyl hydrogenation product), but Cu also catalyzes carbon-carbon coupling to hydrobenzoin. In the absence of an organic substrate, H2 evolution proceeds via the Volmer-Tafel mechanism on Cu/C, with the Tafel step being rate-determining. In the presence of benzaldehyde, the catalyst surface is primarily covered with the organic substrate, while H* coverage is low. Mechanistically, the first H addition to the carbonyl O of an adsorbed benzaldehyde molecule leads to a surface-bound hydroxy intermediate. The hydroxy intermediate then undergoes a second and rate-determining H addition to its α-C to form benzyl alcohol. The H additions occur predominantly via the proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. In a parallel reaction, the radical α-C of the hydroxy intermediate attacks the electrophilic carbonyl C of a physisorbed benzaldehyde molecule to form the C-C bond, which is rate-determining. The C-C coupling is accompanied by the protonation of the formed alkoxy radical intermediate, coupled with electron transfer from the surface of Cu, to form hydrobenzoin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwen Chen
- Department
of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Jayendran Iyer
- Renewable
Energy and Chemicals Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
- Australian
Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, QLD, Australia
| | - Yue Liu
- Shanghai
Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of
Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East
China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Simon Krebs
- Department
of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Fuli Deng
- Department
of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Andreas Jentys
- Department
of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Debra J. Searles
- Australian
Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, QLD, Australia
- School
of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, QLD, Australia
- ARC Centre
of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, QLD, Australia
| | - M. Ali Haider
- Department
of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
- Renewable
Energy and Chemicals Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
- Indian
Institute of Technology Delhi−Abu Dhabi, Khalifa City B, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rachit Khare
- Department
of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Johannes A. Lercher
- Department
of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
- Institute
for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Richland 99352, Washington, United States
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Jia S, Wu L, Tan X, Feng J, Ma X, Zhang L, Song X, Xu L, Zhu Q, Kang X, Sun X, Han B. Synthesis of Hydroxylamine via Ketone-Mediated Nitrate Electroreduction. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:10934-10942. [PMID: 38581437 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c01961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Hydroxylamine (HA, NH2OH) is a critical feedstock in the production of various chemicals and materials, and its efficient and sustainable synthesis is of great importance. Electroreduction of nitrate on Cu-based catalysts has emerged as a promising approach for green ammonia (NH3) production, but the electrosynthesis of HA remains challenging due to overreduction of HA to NH3. Herein, we report the first work on ketone-mediated HA synthesis using nitrate in water. A metal-organic-framework-derived Cu catalyst was developed to catalyze the reaction. Cyclopentanone (CP) was used to capture HA in situ to form CP oxime (CP-O) with C═N bonds, which is prone to hydrolysis. HA could be released easily after electrolysis, and CP was regenerated. It was demonstrated that CP-O could be formed with an excellent Faradaic efficiency of 47.8%, a corresponding formation rate of 34.9 mg h-1 cm-2, and a remarkable carbon selectivity of >99.9%. The hydrolysis of CP-O to release HA and CP regeneration was also optimized, resulting in 96.1 mmol L-1 of HA stabilized in the solution, which was significantly higher than direct nitrate reduction. Detailed in situ characterizations, control experiments, and theoretical calculations revealed the catalyst surface reconstruction and reaction mechanism, which showed that the coexistence of Cu0 and Cu+ facilitated the protonation and reduction of *NO2 and *NH2OH desorption, leading to the enhancement for HA production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunhan Jia
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Limin Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xingxing Tan
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Jiaqi Feng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Libing Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xinning Song
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Liang Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, PR China
| | - Qinggong Zhu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xinchen Kang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xiaofu Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Buxing Han
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Center for Carbon Neutral Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular & Process Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
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Wang Y, Chen D, Chen C, Wang S. Electrocatalytic Urea Synthesis via C-N Coupling from CO 2 and Nitrogenous Species. Acc Chem Res 2024; 57:247-256. [PMID: 38129325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
ConspectusIndustrial urea synthesis consists of the Haber-Bosch process to produce ammonia and the subsequent Bosch-Meiser process to produce urea. Compared to the conventional energy-intensive urea synthetic protocol, electrocatalytic C-N coupling from CO2 and nitrogenous species emerges as a promising alternative to construct a C-N bond under ambient conditions and to realize the direct synthesis of high-value urea products via skipping the intermediate step of ammonia production. The main challenges for electrocatalytic C-N coupling lie in the intrinsic inertness of molecules and the competition with parallel side reactions. In this Account, we give an overview of our recent progress toward electrocatalytic C-N coupling from CO2 and nitrogenous species toward urea synthesis.To begin, we present the direct transformation of dinitrogen (N2) to the C-N bond by coelectrolysis, verifying the feasibility of direct urea synthesis from N2 and CO2 under ambient conditions. In contrast to the highly endothermic step of proton coupling in conventional N2 reduction, the N2 activation and construction of the C-N bond arise from a thermodynamic spontaneous reaction between CO (derived from CO2 reduction) and *N═N* (the asterisks represent the adsorption sites), and the crucial *NCON* species mediates the interconversion of N2, CO2, and urea. Based on theoretical guidance, the effect of N2 adsorption configurations on C-N coupling is investigated on the model catalysts with defined active site structure, revealing that the side-on adsorption rather than the end-on one favors C-N coupling and urea synthesis.Electrocatalytic C-N coupling of CO2 and nitrate (NO3-) is also an effective pathway to achieve direct urea synthesis. We summarize our progress in the C-N coupling of CO2 and NO3-, from the aspects of modulating intermediate species adsorption and reaction paths, monitoring irreversible and reversible reconstruction of active sites, and precisely constructing active sites to match activities and to boost the electrocatalytic urea synthesis. In each case, in situ electrochemical technologies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are carried out to unveil the microscopic mechanisms for the promotion of C-N coupling and the enhancement of urea synthesis activity. In the last section, we put forward the limitations, challenges, and perspectives in these two coupling systems for further development of electrocatalytic urea synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Advanced Catalytic Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Dawei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Advanced Catalytic Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Chen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Advanced Catalytic Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Shuangyin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Advanced Catalytic Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
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5
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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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