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Bioinspired Electrocatalytic CO 2 Reduction by Bovine Serum Albumin‐Capped Silver Nanoclusters Mediated by [ α ‐SiW 12 O 40 ] 4−
Author(s) -
Guo SiXuan,
MacFarlane Douglas R.,
Zhang Jie
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201501343
Subject(s) - nanoclusters , catalysis , bovine serum albumin , electron transfer , electrocatalyst , chemistry , faraday efficiency , dimethylformamide , inorganic chemistry , cofactor , electrode , photochemistry , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , enzyme , chromatography , solvent
Silver nanoclusters capped with bovine serum albumin (AgNC@BSA) were synthesized and applied for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 . Inspired by the fact that many enzymes function only in the presence of coenzymes/cofactors that transfer electrons/protons or other groups, an electron transfer mediator was introduced to facilitate the electrical communication between the electrode and the strongly protected catalyst. The AgNC@BSA catalyst mediated by [α‐SiW 12 O 40 ] 4− anions showed high electrocatalytic activity for CO 2 reduction, which was not observed with either component on its own, in dimethylformamide containing 1 % (v/v) water. CO was the major product with excellent faradaic efficiency (>75 %). The onset potential for this catalytic CO 2 reduction process is about 400 mV more positive than that found at a bulk silver electrode. This mediator‐enhanced catalysis concept provides a general approach to investigate the electrocatalytic activities of nanoclusters, which remain largely unexplored.