Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce Ethylene
Ethylene is an ideal CO<sub>2</sub> product in an electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction (CO<sub>2</sub>RR) with high economic value. This paper synthesised Al-doped octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O (Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O) nanocrystal by...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-08-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/16/12680 |
| _version_ | 1797584460488638464 |
|---|---|
| author | Sanxiu Li Xuelan Sha Xiafei Gao Juan Peng |
| author_facet | Sanxiu Li Xuelan Sha Xiafei Gao Juan Peng |
| author_sort | Sanxiu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ethylene is an ideal CO<sub>2</sub> product in an electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction (CO<sub>2</sub>RR) with high economic value. This paper synthesised Al-doped octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O (Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O) nanocrystal by a simple wet chemical method. The selectivity of CO<sub>2</sub>RR products was improved by doping Al onto the surface of octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O. The Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O was used as an efficient electrocatalyst for CO<sub>2</sub>RR with selective ethylene production. The Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O exhibited a high % Faradic efficiency (FE<sub>C2H4</sub>) of 44.9% at −1.23 V (vs. RHE) in CO<sub>2</sub> saturated 0.1 M KHCO<sub>3</sub> electrolyte. Charge transfer from the Al atom to the Cu atom occurs after Al doping in Cu<sub>2</sub>O, optimizing the electronic structure and facilitating CO<sub>2</sub>RR to ethylene production. The DFT calculation showed that the Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O catalyst could effectively reduce the adsorption energy of the *CHCOH intermediate and promote the mass transfer of charges, thus improving the FE<sub>C2H4</sub>. After Al doping into Cu<sub>2</sub>O, the center of d orbitals shift positively, which makes the d–band closer to the Fermi level. Furthermore, the density of electronic states increases due to the interaction between Cu atoms and intermediates, thus accelerating the electrochemical CO<sub>2</sub> reduction process. This work proved that the metal doping strategy can effectively improve the catalytic properties of Cu<sub>2</sub>O, thus providing a useful way for CO<sub>2</sub> cycling and green production of C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:52:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0ebc3d7aa15d49468bd81d193051d651 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:52:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-0ebc3d7aa15d49468bd81d193051d6512023-11-19T01:27:37ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-08-0124161268010.3390/ijms241612680Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce EthyleneSanxiu Li0Xuelan Sha1Xiafei Gao2Juan Peng3State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaState Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaState Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaState Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, ChinaEthylene is an ideal CO<sub>2</sub> product in an electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction (CO<sub>2</sub>RR) with high economic value. This paper synthesised Al-doped octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O (Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O) nanocrystal by a simple wet chemical method. The selectivity of CO<sub>2</sub>RR products was improved by doping Al onto the surface of octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O. The Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O was used as an efficient electrocatalyst for CO<sub>2</sub>RR with selective ethylene production. The Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O exhibited a high % Faradic efficiency (FE<sub>C2H4</sub>) of 44.9% at −1.23 V (vs. RHE) in CO<sub>2</sub> saturated 0.1 M KHCO<sub>3</sub> electrolyte. Charge transfer from the Al atom to the Cu atom occurs after Al doping in Cu<sub>2</sub>O, optimizing the electronic structure and facilitating CO<sub>2</sub>RR to ethylene production. The DFT calculation showed that the Al–Cu<sub>2</sub>O catalyst could effectively reduce the adsorption energy of the *CHCOH intermediate and promote the mass transfer of charges, thus improving the FE<sub>C2H4</sub>. After Al doping into Cu<sub>2</sub>O, the center of d orbitals shift positively, which makes the d–band closer to the Fermi level. Furthermore, the density of electronic states increases due to the interaction between Cu atoms and intermediates, thus accelerating the electrochemical CO<sub>2</sub> reduction process. This work proved that the metal doping strategy can effectively improve the catalytic properties of Cu<sub>2</sub>O, thus providing a useful way for CO<sub>2</sub> cycling and green production of C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/16/12680electrocatalysiselectronic structurefaradaic efficiencyethylene |
| spellingShingle | Sanxiu Li Xuelan Sha Xiafei Gao Juan Peng Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce Ethylene International Journal of Molecular Sciences electrocatalysis electronic structure faradaic efficiency ethylene |
| title | Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce Ethylene |
| title_full | Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce Ethylene |
| title_fullStr | Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce Ethylene |
| title_full_unstemmed | Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce Ethylene |
| title_short | Al-Doped Octahedral Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanocrystal for Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to Produce Ethylene |
| title_sort | al doped octahedral cu sub 2 sub o nanocrystal for electrocatalytic co sub 2 sub reduction to produce ethylene |
| topic | electrocatalysis electronic structure faradaic efficiency ethylene |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/16/12680 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sanxiuli aldopedoctahedralcusub2subonanocrystalforelectrocatalyticcosub2subreductiontoproduceethylene AT xuelansha aldopedoctahedralcusub2subonanocrystalforelectrocatalyticcosub2subreductiontoproduceethylene AT xiafeigao aldopedoctahedralcusub2subonanocrystalforelectrocatalyticcosub2subreductiontoproduceethylene AT juanpeng aldopedoctahedralcusub2subonanocrystalforelectrocatalyticcosub2subreductiontoproduceethylene |