Researchers from the University of Adelaide, led by Dr. Ya Liu and Professor Andrei V. Kabashin, have made a significant advancement in the field of electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R). Their work focuses on improving the selectivity of copper-based catalysts, which are crucial for converting CO2 into valuable chemical fuels using renewable energy.
Electrochemical CO2 reduction is a promising strategy for reducing carbon emissions and storing renewable energy in chemical fuels. Copper-based catalysts are particularly interesting because they can produce multi-carbon products. However, achieving high selectivity for a single desired hydrocarbon, such as methane, has been challenging due to the complex pathways involved in the process.
In their study published in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers report a breakthrough in methane selectivity using laser-synthesized, ligand-free copper nanomaterials. Unlike conventional copper catalysts that produce a mix of products, these ligand-free nanoparticles exhibit unprecedented selectivity for methane, with a Faradaic efficiency exceeding 70% at superior overpotentials.
The absence of surface ligands, a result of the ultrafast laser ablation synthesis, ensures abundant exposed active sites with tailored electronic and geometric configurations. The researchers attribute the exceptional methane selectivity to the synergistic effects of these active sites-rich surfaces and optimized binding energetics of the *CO intermediate. This favors the protonation pathway toward methane rather than carbon-carbon coupling.
This work resolves the long-standing selectivity dilemma in copper-catalyzed electrochemical CO2 reduction and establishes laser-synthesized ligand-free nanomaterials as a versatile platform for designing high-performance electrocatalysts. The practical applications for the energy sector are significant, as improved selectivity in CO2 reduction catalysts can enhance the efficiency and economic viability of converting CO2 into valuable fuels and chemicals using renewable energy.
The research was published in Nature Communications, a highly respected peer-reviewed journal. The findings represent a step forward in the development of advanced materials for carbon capture and utilization, contributing to the global effort to mitigate climate change and transition to a sustainable energy future.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.