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Self‐Cleaning Catalyst Electrodes for Stabilized CO 2 Reduction to Hydrocarbons
Author(s) -
Weng Zhe,
Zhang Xing,
Wu Yueshen,
Huo Shengjuan,
Jiang Jianbing,
Liu Wen,
He Guanjie,
Liang Yongye,
Wang Hailiang
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201707478
Subject(s) - catalysis , electrode , selectivity , chemical engineering , metal , selective catalytic reduction , materials science , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , metallurgy , organic chemistry , engineering
A surface‐restructuring strategy is presented that involves self‐cleaning Cu catalyst electrodes with unprecedented catalytic stability toward CO 2 reduction. Under the working conditions, the Pd atoms pre‐deposited on Cu surface induce continuous morphological and compositional restructuring of the Cu surface, which constantly refreshes the catalyst surface and thus maintains the catalytic properties for CO 2 reduction to hydrocarbons. The Pd‐decorated Cu electrode can catalyze CO 2 reduction with relatively stable selectivity and current density for up to 16 h, which is one of the best catalytic durability performances among all Cu electrocatalysts for effective CO 2 conversion to hydrocarbons. The generality of this approach of utilizing foreign metal atoms to induce surface restructuring toward stabilizing Cu catalyst electrodes against deactivation by carbonaceous species accumulation in CO 2 reduction is further demonstrated by replacing Pd with Rh.