Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2025
10:57
Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
18.2K
Tailoring the *CO and *H Coverage for Selective CO2 Electroreduction to CH4 or C2H4
Yangshen Chen1, Naixin Lyu1, Junbo Zhang1
1Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Department of Chemistry and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|November 22, 2023
Summary
Ternary copper alloy electrocatalysts were synthesized to control intermediates for selective CO2 reduction. Doping with zinc and manganese tuned catalysts for high methane or ethylene production, offering a strategy for product tailoring.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) selectivity depends on catalyst surface intermediates like *CO and *H.
- Ternary copper alloys offer tunable electronic properties for CO2RR.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and investigate Cu-Zn-Mn ternary alloys for selective electrochemical CO2 reduction.
- To correlate catalyst composition with the coverage of *CO and *H intermediates.
- To tailor the production of C1 (e.g., CH4) and C2 (e.g., C2H4) products.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Cu_xZn_yMn_z ternary alloy electrocatalysts with varying Zn and Mn doping.
- Electrochemical characterization of CO2 reduction performance, including partial current density and Faradaic efficiency.
- Analysis of intermediate coverages (*CO and *H) on catalyst surfaces.
Main Results:
- Cu8ZnMn catalyst achieved high CO2 to CH4 partial current density (-418 ± 22 mA cm−2) and 55 ± 2.8% Faradaic efficiency.
- Cu8Zn6Mn catalyst demonstrated high CO2 to C2H4 partial current density (-440 ± 41 mA cm−2) and 58 ± 4.5% Faradaic efficiency.
- Zn doping enhanced *CO binding, promoting C2 products, while Mn doping favored *H binding, promoting C1 products.
Conclusions:
- Ternary Cu-Zn-Mn electrocatalysts enable tunable selectivity in CO2 reduction.
- Controlling Zn and Mn doping provides a rational strategy for fabricating Cu-based catalysts for specific CO2RR products.
- This work offers insights into catalyst design for efficient electrochemical CO2 conversion.
Related Concept Videos
02:17Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
3.3K
Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes is a transition-metal catalyzed reduction of the double bond using molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. The mode of hydrogen addition follows syn stereochemistry.
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
3.3K
02:13Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
12.1K
Alkenes undergo reduction by the addition of molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. Because the process generally occurs in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst, the reaction is called catalytic hydrogenation.
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
12.1K
01:28Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation
4.6K
Unlike the easy catalytic hydrogenation of an alkene double bond, hydrogenation of a benzene double bond under similar reaction conditions does not take place easily. For example, in the reduction of stilbene, the benzene ring remains unaffected while the alkene bond gets reduced. Hydrogenation of an alkene double bond is exothermic and a favorable process. In contrast, to hydrogenate the first unsaturated bond of benzene, an energy input is needed; that is, the process is endothermic. This is...
4.6K
02:24Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
7.7K
Introduction
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
7.7K
01:17Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
2.0K
The stereochemistry of electrocyclic reactions is strongly influenced by the orbital symmetry of the polyene HOMO. Under thermal conditions, the reaction proceeds via the ground-state HOMO.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
2.0K
01:19Acid Halides to Alcohols: LiAlH4 Reduction
2.8K
Acid halides are reduced to alcohols in the presence of a strong reducing agent like lithium aluminum hydride.
The mechanism proceeds in three steps. First, the nucleophilic hydride ion attacks the carbonyl carbon of the acid halide to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Next, the carbonyl group is re-formed, and the halide ion departs as a leaving group, generating an aldehyde. A second nucleophilic attack by the hydride yields an alkoxide ion, which, upon protonation, gives a primary alcohol as...
The mechanism proceeds in three steps. First, the nucleophilic hydride ion attacks the carbonyl carbon of the acid halide to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Next, the carbonyl group is re-formed, and the halide ion departs as a leaving group, generating an aldehyde. A second nucleophilic attack by the hydride yields an alkoxide ion, which, upon protonation, gives a primary alcohol as...
2.8K