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Coupling of Cu(100) and (110) Facets Promotes Carbon Dioxide Conversion to Hydrocarbons and Alcohols
Author(s) -
Zhong Dazhong,
Zhao ZhiJian,
Zhao Qiang,
Cheng Dongfang,
Liu Bin,
Zhang Gong,
Deng Wanyu,
Dong Hao,
Zhang Lei,
Li Jingkun,
Li Jinping,
Gong Jinlong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202015159
Subject(s) - selectivity , copper , faraday efficiency , carbon dioxide , chemistry , coupling (piping) , electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide , hydrogen , adsorption , electrolysis , inorganic chemistry , yield (engineering) , electrode , chemical engineering , catalysis , materials science , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , carbon monoxide , electrolyte , engineering , metallurgy
Abstract Copper can efficiently electro‐catalyze carbon dioxide reduction to C 2+ products (C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 5 OH, n‐propanol). However, the correlation between the activity and active sites remains ambiguous, impeding further improvements in their performance. The facet effect of copper crystals to promote CO adsorption and C−C coupling and consequently yield a superior selectivity for C 2+ products is described. We achieve a high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 87 % and a large partial current density of 217 mA cm −2 toward C 2+ products on Cu(OH) 2 ‐D at only −0.54 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode in a flow‐cell electrolyzer. With further coupled to a Si solar cell, record‐high solar conversion efficiencies of 4.47 % and 6.4 % are achieved for C 2 H 4 and C 2+ products, respectively. This study provides an in‐depth understanding of the selective formation of C 2+ products on Cu and paves the way for the practical application of electrocatalytic or solar‐driven CO 2 reduction.