AuCu Alloy Nanoparticle Embedded Cu Submicrocone Arrays for Selective Conversion of CO 2 to Ethanol

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2019-09, Vol.15 (37), p.e1902229
• Main Authors: Shen, Sibo, Peng, Xianyun, Song, Lida, Qiu, Yuan, Li, Chao, Zhuo, Longchao, He, Jia, Ren, Junqiang, Liu, Xijun, Luo, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.201902229

The CO reduction reaction (CO RR) driven by renewable electricity represents a promising strategy toward alleviating the energy shortage and environmental crisis facing humankind. Cu species, as one type of versatile electrocatalyst for the CO RR, attract tremendous research interest. However, for C products, ethanol formation is commonly less favored over Cu electrocatalysts. Herein, AuCu alloy nanoparticle embedded Cu submicrocone arrays (AuCu/Cu-SCA) are constructed as an active, selective, and robust electrocatalyst for the CO RR. Enhanced selectivity for EtOH is gained, whose Faradaic efficiency (FE) reaches 29 ± 4%, while ethylene formation is relatively inhibited (16 ± 4%) in KHCO aqueous solution. The ratio between partial current densities of EtOH and C H (j /j ) can be tuned in the range from 0.15 ± 0.27 to 1.81 ± 0.55 by varying the Au content of the electrocatalysts. The combined experimental and theoretical calculation results identify the importance of Au in modifying binding energies of key intermediates, such as CH CHO*, CH CHO*, and CH CH O*, which consequently modify the activity and selectivity (j /j ) for the CO RR. Moreover, AuCu/Cu-SCA also shows high durability with both the current density and FE being largely maintained for 24 h electrocatalysis.