Steering Hydrocarbon Selectivity in CO2 Electroreduction over Soft-Landed CuOx Nanoparticle-Functionalized Gas Diffusion Electrodes

The use of physical vapor deposition methods in the fabrication of catalyst layers holds promise for enhancing the efficiency of future carbon capture and utilization processes such as the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Following that line of research, we report in this work the application of a sp...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Daems, Nick, Choukroun, Daniel, Merino, Pablo, Rettenmaier, Clara, Pacquets, Lien, Bergmann, Arno, Santoro, Gonzalo, Vázquez Burgos, Luis, Martínez Orellana, Lidia, Roldan Cuenya, Beatriz, Martín-Gago, José A., Breugelmans, Tom
Tipo de documento: artigo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Data de publicação:2022
País:España
Recursos:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositório:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/375873
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/375873
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85122660909&doi=10.1021%2facsami.1c17998&partnerID=40&md5=568950fe9797398caa36823b65838c74
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:CO2
electroreduction
copper
gas diffusion electrodes
nanoparticles
sputter gas aggregation source
Descrição
Resumo:The use of physical vapor deposition methods in the fabrication of catalyst layers holds promise for enhancing the efficiency of future carbon capture and utilization processes such as the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Following that line of research, we report in this work the application of a sputter gas aggregation source (SGAS) and a multiple ion cluster source type apparatus, for the controlled synthesis of CuOx nanoparticles (NPs) atop gas diffusion electrodes. By varying the mass loading, we achieve control over the balance between methanation and multicarbon formation in a gas-fed CO2 electrolyzer and obtain peak CH4 partial current densities of −143 mA cm–2 (mass activity of 7.2 kA/g) with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 48% and multicarbon partial current densities of −231 mA cm–2 at 76% FE (FEC = 56%). Using atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, and quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we trace back the divergence in hydrocarbon selectivity to differences in NP film morphology and rule out the influence of both the NP size (3–15 nm, >20 μg cm–2) and in situ oxidation state. We show that the combination of the O2 flow rate to the aggregation zone during NP growth and deposition time, which affect the NP production rate and mass loading, respectively, gives rise to the formation of either densely packed CuOx NPs or rough three-dimensional networks made from CuOx NP building blocks, which in turn affects the governing CO2RR mechanism. This study highlights the potential held by SGAS-generated NP films for future CO2RR catalyst layer optimization and upscaling, where the NPs’ tunable properties, homogeneity, and the complete absence of organic capping agents may prove invaluable. © 2022 American Chemical Society