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Understanding Selective Reduction of CO 2 to CO on Modified Carbon Electrocatalysts
Author(s) -
Jung Hyejin,
Lee Si Young,
Won Da Hye,
Kim KiJeong,
Chae Sang Youn,
Oh HyungSuk,
Min Byoung Koun,
Hwang Yun Jeong
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201701337
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , faraday efficiency , carbon fibers , catalysis , electrochemistry , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , transition metal , inorganic chemistry , nitrogen , redox , chemistry , materials science , chemical engineering , electrode , organic chemistry , composite material , composite number , engineering
Modified carbon powders are attractive electrocatalysts for chemical conversion due to their low cost and high activity. Here, we demonstrate that electrochemical conversion activities of CO 2 to CO in aqueous media are enhanced by the incorporation of transition metals into nitrogen‐doped carbon (M−N/C; M=Fe, Co, Cu). The type of the metals is thereby critical to achieve selective CO production over H 2 . Among M−N/C and N/C catalysts, Fe−N/C exhibited the highest faradaic efficiency for CO conversion, significantly enhanced compared with the metal‐free N‐doped carbon electrocatalyst. In addition, the catalysts containing higher pyridinic N and graphitic N but lower pyrrolic N contents favor CO production at lower bias potentials. Meanwhile, the total amount of N content in the carbon material is less important. Our CO 2 reduction reaction results combined with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis propose that the modification of nitrogen states in the carbon structure is crucial in CO2RR activity.