Au and Cu-based electrodes superficially modified with functional molecules with alkaline and hydrophobic groups for carbon dioxide reduction

• Grant number: 22/07207-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Henrique Barros de Lima
• Grantee: Radhakrishnan Venkatkarthick
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/22183-6 - Electrocatalysis VI: fundamental and applied aspects of emerging and classical problems in electrochemical energy conversion, AP.TEM

Abstract

Copper is the only metal capable of promoting the electroreduction of CO2 to hydrocarbons. Experimentally, however, it is noted that copper has a highly dynamic behavior. Since this aspect is unavoidable, its use for the benefit of stability for RECO2 is possible. This can be achieved using electrocatalysts formed by copper ions coordinated by water insoluble ligands, thus, allowing the reduction to metallic copper (active) under in-situ conditions, and the return to the initial condition by changing the potential to improve the copper stability. Therefore, this may offer a reactivation protocol and an elimination of possible species that deactivate the metal. Additionally, by proper choosing the nature of the ligand, is possible to change the copper selectivity during the CO2 reduction. Therefore, this research project aims to study the influence of the nature of the ligand molecules, N or S, and its hydrophobicity on the stability and on the reaction pathways of in-situ formed copper clusters. The influence of the incorporation of Au nanoparticles will also be evaluated and correlated to the CO2RR reaction pathway. (AU)