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Updated: Nov 2, 2025
Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
A Cu2 O-derived Polymeric Carbon Nitride Heterostructured Catalyst for the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon
Wenwen Lin1,2, Hao Chen1, Zihao Li1
1Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, P.R. China.
Abstract:
The electroreduction of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons has been proposed as a promising way to utilize CO2 and maintain the ecosystem carbon balance. However, the selective reduction of CO2 to C2 hydrocarbons is still challenging. In this study, a highly efficient heterostructured catalyst has been developed, composed of a carbon nitride (CN)-encapsulated copper oxide hybrid (Cux O/CN). The interaction between the metal and carbon nitride in the heterostructured catalysts improves the intrinsic electrical conductivity and the charge transfer processes at metal-support interfaces. A remarkable enhancement in the selectivity of hydrocarbons is achieved with these modified Cu-based electrocatalysts, with an onset potential of -0.4 V and high C2 H4 faradaic efficiency of 42.2 %, and these catalysts can also effectively suppress H2 evolution during the CO2 reduction reaction. This work provides a simple and cost-effective method for synthesizing CN-encapsulated catalysts that provides the possibility of efficiently converting CO2 into C2 hydrocarbons.
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