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Chen Y, Zhang Y, Li Z, Liu M, Wu Q, Lo TWB, Hu Z, Lee LYS. Amphipathic Surfactant on Reconstructed Bismuth Enables Industrial-Level Electroreduction of CO 2 to Formate. ACS NANO 2024; 18:19345-19353. [PMID: 38991112 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c06019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Developing efficient electrocatalysts for selective formate production via the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is challenged by high overpotential, a narrow potential window of high Faradaic efficiency (FEformate), and limited current density (Jformate). Herein, we report a hierarchical BiOBr (CT/h-BiOBr) with surface-anchored cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) for formate-selective large-scale CO2RR electrocatalysis. CT/h-BiOBr achieves over 90% FEformate across a wide potential range (-0.5 to -1.1 V) and an industrial-level Jformate surpassing 100 mA·cm-2 at -0.7 V. In situ investigations uncover the reconstructed Bi(110) surface as the active phase, with CTAB playing a dual role: its hydrophobic alkyl chains create a CO2-enriching microenvironment, while its polar head groups fine-tune the electronic structure, fostering a highly active phase. This work provides valuable insights into the role of surfactants in electrocatalysis and guides the design of electrocatalysts for the large-scale CO2RR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Chen
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Lab for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mengjie Liu
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Qiang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Lab for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Tsz Woon Benedict Lo
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zheng Hu
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Lab for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lawrence Yoon Suk Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Fan Y, Chen Y, Ge W, Dong L, Qi Y, Lian C, Zhou X, Liu H, Liu Z, Jiang H, Li C. Mechanistic Insights into Surfactant-Modulated Electrode-Electrolyte Interface for Steering H 2O 2 Electrosynthesis. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:7575-7583. [PMID: 38466222 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic reactions taking place at the electrified electrode-electrolyte interface involve processes of proton-coupled electron transfer. Interfacial protons are delivered to the electrode surface via a H2O-dominated hydrogen-bond network. Less efforts are made to regulate the interfacial proton transfer from the perspective of interfacial hydrogen-bond network. Here, we present quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactants as electrolyte additives for enhancing the H2O2 selectivity of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Through in situ vibrational spectroscopy and molecular dynamics calculation, it is revealed that the surfactants are irreversibly adsorbed on the electrode surface in response to a given bias potential range, leading to the weakening of the interfacial hydrogen-bond network. This decreases interfacial proton transfer kinetics, particularly at high bias potentials, thus suppressing the 4-electron ORR pathway and achieving a highly selective 2-electron pathway toward H2O2. These results highlight the opportunity for steering H2O-involved electrochemical reactions via modulating the interfacial hydrogen-bond network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fan
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wangxin Ge
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Lei Dong
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yanbin Qi
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Cheng Lian
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Honglai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Hongliang Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chunzhong Li
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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Yang X, Ding H, Li S, Zheng S, Li JF, Pan F. Cation-Induced Interfacial Hydrophobic Microenvironment Promotes the C-C Coupling in Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:5532-5542. [PMID: 38362877 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) toward C2 products is a promising way for the clean energy economy. Modulating the structure of the electric double layer (EDL), especially the interfacial water and cation type, is a useful strategy to promote C-C coupling, but atomic understanding lags far behind the experimental observations. Herein, we investigate the combined effect of interfacial water and alkali metal cations on the C-C coupling at the Cu(100) electrode/electrolyte interface using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations with a constrained MD and slow-growth approach. We observe a linear correlation between the water-adsorbate stabilization effect, which manifests as hydrogen bonds, and the corresponding alleviation in the C-C coupling free energy. The role of a larger cation, compared to a smaller cation (e.g., K+ vs Li+), lies in its ability to approach the interface through desolvation and coordinates with the *CO+*CO moiety, partially substituting the hydrogen-bonding stabilizing effect of interfacial water. Although this only results in a marginal reduction of the energy barrier for C-C coupling, it creates a local hydrophobic environment with a scarcity of hydrogen bonds owing to its great ionic radius, impeding the hydrogen of surrounding interfacial water to approach the oxygen of the adsorbed *CO. This skillfully circumvents the further hydrogenation of *CO toward the C1 pathway, serving as the predominant factor through which a larger cation facilitates C-C coupling. This study unveils a comprehensive atomic mechanism of the cation-water-adsorbate interactions that can facilitate the further optimization of the electrolyte and EDL for efficient C-C coupling in CO2RR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhe Yang
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Haowen Ding
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Shunning Li
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Shisheng Zheng
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
- College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Jian-Feng Li
- College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, College of Physical Science and Technology, Fujian Key Laboratory of Ultrafast Laser Technology and Applications, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Feng Pan
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518000, China
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Du J, Han G, Zhang W, Li L, Yan Y, Shi Y, Zhang X, Geng L, Wang Z, Xiong Y, Yin G, Du C. CoIn dual-atom catalyst for hydrogen peroxide production via oxygen reduction reaction in acid. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4766. [PMID: 37553335 PMCID: PMC10409757 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40467-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The two-electron oxygen reduction reaction in acid is highly attractive to produce H2O2, a commodity chemical vital in various industry and household scenarios, which is still hindered by the sluggish reaction kinetics. Herein, both density function theory calculation and in-situ characterization demonstrate that in dual-atom CoIn catalyst, O-affinitive In atom triggers the favorable and stable adsorption of hydroxyl, which effectively optimizes the adsorption of OOH on neighboring Co. As a result, the oxygen reduction on Co atoms shifts to two-electron pathway for efficient H2O2 production in acid. The H2O2 partial current density reaches 1.92 mA cm-2 at 0.65 V in the rotating ring-disk electrode test, while the H2O2 production rate is as high as 9.68 mol g-1 h-1 in the three-phase flow cell. Additionally, the CoIn-N-C presents excellent stability during the long-term operation, verifying the practicability of the CoIn-N-C catalyst. This work provides inspiring insights into the rational design of active catalysts for H2O2 production and other catalytic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Du
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Guokang Han
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Lingfeng Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Yuqi Yan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Yaoxuan Shi
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Center for Materials and Interfaces, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Lin Geng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Zhijiang Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Yueping Xiong
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Geping Yin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China
| | - Chunyu Du
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
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