Efficient upgrading of CO to C₃ fuel using asymmetric C-C coupling active sites

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Renewable Energy Storage
• Catalysis

Background:

• Electrocatalytic conversion of C1 feedgas (e.g., CO2) to fuels is crucial for renewable electricity storage.
• Current methods struggle with low selectivity for C3 products, limiting high-energy-density fuel production.
• C3 electrosynthesis requires complex carbon-carbon bond formation pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance selectivity and efficiency in electrocatalytic C3 product synthesis.
• To develop a strategy for coupling C2 and C1 intermediates for C3 formation.
• To investigate the role of adjacent copper atoms with distinct electronic structures in asymmetric catalysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a copper-based electrocatalyst with neighboring atoms of differing electronic structures.
• Employed an approach designed to facilitate the coupling of C2 and C1 intermediates.
• Performed electroreduction of C1 feedgas under controlled conditions.

Main Results:

• Achieved a record n-propanol Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 33 ± 1%.
• Obtained a record n-propanol cathodic energy conversion efficiency (EE_cathodic half-cell) of 21%.
• Demonstrated a conversion rate of 4.5 ± 0.1 mA cm⁻² for n-propanol production.

Conclusions:

• The developed asymmetric catalytic approach significantly improves C3 electrosynthesis.
• This method offers a 1.3x enhancement over previous CO-to-n-propanol electroreduction reports.
• Represents a significant advancement in storing renewable electricity via high-energy-density fuels.