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Atomically Dispersed Transition Metals on Carbon Nanotubes with Ultrahigh Loading for Selective Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Author(s) -
Cheng Yi,
Zhao Shiyong,
Johannessen Bernt,
Veder JeanPierre,
Saunders Martin,
Rowles Matthew R.,
Cheng Min,
Liu Chang,
Chisholm Matthew F.,
Marco Roland,
Cheng HuiMing,
Yang ShiZe,
Jiang San Ping
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201706287
Subject(s) - materials science , catalysis , carbon nanotube , electrochemistry , pyrolysis , transition metal , electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide , selectivity , carbon fibers , chemical engineering , metal , hydrogen , reversible hydrogen electrode , nanoparticle , electrode , nanotechnology , carbon monoxide , working electrode , composite material , organic chemistry , metallurgy , composite number , chemistry , engineering
Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are the smallest entities for catalytic reactions with projected high atomic efficiency, superior activity, and selectivity; however, practical applications of SACs suffer from a very low metal loading of 1–2 wt%. Here, a class of SACs based on atomically dispersed transition metals on nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes (MSA‐N‐CNTs, where M = Ni, Co, NiCo, CoFe, and NiPt) is synthesized with an extraordinarily high metal loading, e.g., 20 wt% in the case of NiSA‐N‐CNTs, using a new multistep pyrolysis process. Among these materials, NiSA‐N‐CNTs show an excellent selectivity and activity for the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to CO, achieving a turnover frequency (TOF) of 11.7 s −1 at −0.55 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)), two orders of magnitude higher than Ni nanoparticles supported on CNTs.