Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu

Abstract Intensive research in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction has resulted in the discovery of numerous high-performance catalysts selective to multi-carbon products, with most of these catalysts still being purely transition metal based. Herein, we present high and stable multi-carbon produ...

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Main Authors: Carina Yi Jing Lim, Meltem Yilmaz, Juan Manuel Arce-Ramos, Albertus D. Handoko, Wei Jie Teh, Yuangang Zheng, Zi Hui Jonathan Khoo, Ming Lin, Mark Isaacs, Teck Lip Dexter Tam, Yang Bai, Chee Koon Ng, Boon Siang Yeo, Gopinathan Sankar, Ivan P. Parkin, Kedar Hippalgaonkar, Michael B. Sullivan, Jia Zhang, Yee-Fun Lim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-01-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-35912-7
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author Carina Yi Jing Lim
Meltem Yilmaz
Juan Manuel Arce-Ramos
Albertus D. Handoko
Wei Jie Teh
Yuangang Zheng
Zi Hui Jonathan Khoo
Ming Lin
Mark Isaacs
Teck Lip Dexter Tam
Yang Bai
Chee Koon Ng
Boon Siang Yeo
Gopinathan Sankar
Ivan P. Parkin
Kedar Hippalgaonkar
Michael B. Sullivan
Jia Zhang
Yee-Fun Lim
author_facet Carina Yi Jing Lim
Meltem Yilmaz
Juan Manuel Arce-Ramos
Albertus D. Handoko
Wei Jie Teh
Yuangang Zheng
Zi Hui Jonathan Khoo
Ming Lin
Mark Isaacs
Teck Lip Dexter Tam
Yang Bai
Chee Koon Ng
Boon Siang Yeo
Gopinathan Sankar
Ivan P. Parkin
Kedar Hippalgaonkar
Michael B. Sullivan
Jia Zhang
Yee-Fun Lim
author_sort Carina Yi Jing Lim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Intensive research in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction has resulted in the discovery of numerous high-performance catalysts selective to multi-carbon products, with most of these catalysts still being purely transition metal based. Herein, we present high and stable multi-carbon products selectivity of up to 76.6% across a wide potential range of 1 V on histidine-functionalised Cu. In-situ Raman and density functional theory calculations revealed alternative reaction pathways that involve direct interactions between adsorbed histidine and CO2 reduction intermediates at more cathodic potentials. Strikingly, we found that the yield of multi-carbon products is closely correlated to the surface charge on the catalyst surface, quantified by a pulsed voltammetry-based technique which proved reliable even at very cathodic potentials. We ascribe the surface charge to the population density of adsorbed species on the catalyst surface, which may be exploited as a powerful tool to explain CO2 reduction activity and as a proxy for future catalyst discovery, including organic-inorganic hybrids.
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spelling doaj.art-2c718d61d24d45b8abee949e2f3020942023-07-16T11:21:01ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-01-0114111110.1038/s41467-023-35912-7Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised CuCarina Yi Jing Lim0Meltem Yilmaz1Juan Manuel Arce-Ramos2Albertus D. Handoko3Wei Jie Teh4Yuangang Zheng5Zi Hui Jonathan Khoo6Ming Lin7Mark Isaacs8Teck Lip Dexter Tam9Yang Bai10Chee Koon Ng11Boon Siang Yeo12Gopinathan Sankar13Ivan P. Parkin14Kedar Hippalgaonkar15Michael B. Sullivan16Jia Zhang17Yee-Fun Lim18Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Department of Chemistry, National University of SingaporeInstitute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryInstitute of Sustainability for Chemical, Engineering and Environment, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Department of Chemistry, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Chemistry, University College LondonDepartment of Chemistry, University College LondonInstitute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Abstract Intensive research in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction has resulted in the discovery of numerous high-performance catalysts selective to multi-carbon products, with most of these catalysts still being purely transition metal based. Herein, we present high and stable multi-carbon products selectivity of up to 76.6% across a wide potential range of 1 V on histidine-functionalised Cu. In-situ Raman and density functional theory calculations revealed alternative reaction pathways that involve direct interactions between adsorbed histidine and CO2 reduction intermediates at more cathodic potentials. Strikingly, we found that the yield of multi-carbon products is closely correlated to the surface charge on the catalyst surface, quantified by a pulsed voltammetry-based technique which proved reliable even at very cathodic potentials. We ascribe the surface charge to the population density of adsorbed species on the catalyst surface, which may be exploited as a powerful tool to explain CO2 reduction activity and as a proxy for future catalyst discovery, including organic-inorganic hybrids.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-35912-7
spellingShingle Carina Yi Jing Lim
Meltem Yilmaz
Juan Manuel Arce-Ramos
Albertus D. Handoko
Wei Jie Teh
Yuangang Zheng
Zi Hui Jonathan Khoo
Ming Lin
Mark Isaacs
Teck Lip Dexter Tam
Yang Bai
Chee Koon Ng
Boon Siang Yeo
Gopinathan Sankar
Ivan P. Parkin
Kedar Hippalgaonkar
Michael B. Sullivan
Jia Zhang
Yee-Fun Lim
Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu
Nature Communications
title Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu
title_full Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu
title_fullStr Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu
title_full_unstemmed Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu
title_short Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu
title_sort surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical co2 reduction to multi carbon products on organic functionalised cu
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-35912-7
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