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Combining Fe nanoparticles and pyrrole-type Fe-N4 sites on less-oxygenated carbon supports for electrochemical CO2 reduction

Author

Listed:
  • Cai Wang

    (Nankai University)

  • Xiaoyu Wang

    (Nankai University)

  • Houan Ren

    (Nankai University)

  • Yilin Zhang

    (Nankai University)

  • Xiaomei Zhou

    (Nankai University)

  • Jing Wang

    (Nankai University)

  • Qingxin Guan

    (Nankai University)

  • Yuping Liu

    (Nankai University)

  • Wei Li

    (Nankai University)

Abstract

A great challenge for electrochemical CO2 reduction is to improve energy efficiency, which requires reducing overpotential while increasing product Faraday efficiency. Here, we designedly synthesize a hybrid electrocatalyst consisting of Fe nanoparticles, pyrrole-type Fe-N4 sites and less-oxygenated carbon supports, which exhibits a remarkable CO Faraday efficiency above 99% at an ultralow overpotential of 21 mV, reaching the highest cathode energy efficiency of 97.1% to date. The catalyst also can afford a CO selectivity nearly 100% with a high cathode energy efficiency (>90%) at least 100 h. The combined results of control experiments, in situ characterizations and theoretical calculations demonstrate that introducing Fe nanoparticles can reduce the overpotential by accelerating the proton transfer from CO2 to *COOH and lowering the free energy for *COOH formation, constructing pyrrole-type Fe-N4 sites and limiting oxygen species on carbon supports can increase CO Faraday efficiency through inhibiting the H2 evolution, thus achieving energy-efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction to CO.

Suggested Citation

  • Cai Wang & Xiaoyu Wang & Houan Ren & Yilin Zhang & Xiaomei Zhou & Jing Wang & Qingxin Guan & Yuping Liu & Wei Li, 2023. "Combining Fe nanoparticles and pyrrole-type Fe-N4 sites on less-oxygenated carbon supports for electrochemical CO2 reduction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-40667-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40667-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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