CO2 electroreduction to fuels on mesoporous carbon-embedded copper nanoparticles

Author(s)

Sahin, Nihat ^{[1, 2]} ; Silva, Wanderson O. ^[1] ; Camilo, Mariana R. ^[1] ; Ticianelli, Edson A. ^[1] ; Lima, Fabio H. B. ^[1] ; Parmentier, Julien ^[3] ; Comminges, Clement ^[2] ; Napporn, Teko W. ^[2] ; Kokoh, Kouakou B. ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Chem Sao Carlos, Ave Trab Sao Carlense 400, CP 780, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Poitiers, Inst Chim Milieux & Mat Poitiers, 4 Rue Michel Brunet, B27, TSA 51106, F-86073 Poitiers 09 - France

^[3] Univ Haute Alsace, Inst Sci Mat Mulhouse, Univ Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7361, 15 Rue Jean Starcky, BP 2488, F-68057 Mulhouse - France

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS; v. 4, n. 12, p. 6045-6053, DEC 1 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) process can allow the production of chemicals under ambient conditions on nanostructured copper materials. However, the reaction selectivity is still a main drawback due to strong competition reactions at close electrode potentials. Herein, we introduced a novel three-dimensional electrode composed of mesoporous carbon-embedded copper nanoparticles that are capable of selectively producing formic acid and short-chain hydrocarbons at low overpotentials. The mesoporous electrocatalyst was synthesized from a facile and one-pot green chemistry process using bio-sourced Tannin mimosa (polymeric flavonoids) acting as both reducing agent and carbon precursor. The role of different electrode potentials on the product selectivity (methane and ethylene) was probed by on-line differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS). During the CO2 electrolysis, chronoamperometry experiments allowed the evaluation of the electrocatalytic performance towards CO2RR with a distinguishable production of formic acid and hydrocarbons. It should be noted that methane was first detected at a potential of -0.52 V, while ethylene showed up at -0.72 V vs. RHE. Moreover, the thin-layer Cu/C ex-tannin porous electrode surface exhibited current densities ranging from 5.9 to 42.1 mA cm(-2), which are higher than those previously reported on copper-based electrodes. This suggests that the Cu/C ex-tannin electrocatalyst surface facilitates charge and mass transfers towards accessible active sites through mesostructured carbon paths, boosting the performance for CO2RR. The Cu/C ex-tannin electrode described here may provide a promising lead for the development of effective electrocatalyst structures for scalable electrochemical CO2 reduction electrolyzers. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/16930-7 - Electrocatalysis V: electrocatalytic processes of chemical and electrical energy interconversion
• Grantee: Edson Antonio Ticianelli
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/26699-3 - Development of electrocatalysts for the electroreduction of CO2 and photo-electrooxidation of water: investigation of the reaction products by on-line mass spectrometry
• Grantee: Mariana Romano Camilo Casale
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/13323-0 - Carbon Dioxide and Water Electrochemistry: Application in Energy Conversion and Storage
• Grantee: Fabio Henrique Barros de Lima
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants