Facet-switching of rate-determining step on copper in CO₂-to-ethylene electroreduction.

ABSTRACT: Reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) by renewable electricity to produce multicarbon chemicals, such as ethylene (C₂H₄), continues to be a challenge because of insufficient Faradaic efficiency, low production rates, and complex mechanistic pathways. Here, we report that the rate-determining steps (RDS) on common copper (Cu) surfaces diverge in CO₂ electroreduction, leading to distinct catalytic performances. Through a combination of experimental and computational studies, we reveal that C─C bond-making is the RDS on Cu(100), whereas the protonation of *CO with adsorbed water becomes rate-limiting on Cu(111) with a higher energy barrier. On an oxide-derived Cu(100)-dominant Cu catalyst, we reach a high C₂H₄ Faradaic efficiency o

SUBMITTER: Zhang YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11194607 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature