Controllable Synthesis of Leaf‐Like CuO Nanosheets for Selective CO2 Electroreduction to Ethylene

The carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) driven by renewable electricity is a promising way to tackle the CO2 emission woes and recycle use of CO2. The synthesis of electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity for CO2RR to ethylene remains a great challenge. Herein, leaf‐like CuO nanoshe...

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Published in:ChemElectroChem 2020-05, Vol.7 (9), p.2020-2025
Main Authors: Tan, Zhonghao, Peng, Tingyue, Tan, Xiaojie, Wang, Wenhang, Wang, Xiaoshan, Yang, Zhongxue, Ning, Hui, Zhao, Qingshan, Wu, Mingbo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon dioxide
Catalysts
Chemical reduction
copper oxide
Curvature
Electrocatalysts
electroreduction
Ethylene
Grain boundaries
Graphene
Nanosheets
nitrogen doped graphene
Oxidation
Selectivity
Synthesis
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Summary:The carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) driven by renewable electricity is a promising way to tackle the CO2 emission woes and recycle use of CO2. The synthesis of electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity for CO2RR to ethylene remains a great challenge. Herein, leaf‐like CuO nanosheets are fabricated in situ on nitrogen‐doped graphene (NG) by using a novel reduction‐oxidation‐reconstruction process. When used as a catalyst for the CO2RR in 0.1 M KHCO3, a high faradaic efficiency of approximately 30 % for ethylene with an ultra‐high ethylene/methane ratio of 190 was achieved at −1.3 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. The SEM and TEM images confirm the leaf‐like CuO nanosheets display high‐curvature structures, while multiple distinguished grain boundaries constructed by CuO(110) and CuO(111) planes are verified by HRTEM. For the first time, we present a facile method to combine the high‐curvature structure and the grain boundary to enhance the selectivity of the CO2RR to ethylene over a CuO catalyst. Take a leaf out of their book: Leaf‐like CuO nanosheets are synthesized, which show a high selectivity towards ethylene when used as catalysts for the electroreduction of carbon dioxide in aqueous solution. The benefits can be attributed to the high‐curvature structures and rich grain boundaries.
ISSN:2196-0216
2196-0216
DOI:10.1002/celc.202000235