Restructuring of Cu-based Catalysts during CO Electroreduction: Evidence for the Dominant Role of Surface Defects on the C₂₊ Product Selectivity.

ABSTRACT: CO is the key reaction intermediate in the Cu-catalyzed electroreduction of CO₂ to products containing C-C bonds. Herein, we investigate the impact of the particle size of CuO precursors on the direct electroreduction of CO (CORR) to C₂₊ products. Flame spray pyrolysis was used to prepare CuO particles with sizes between 4 and 30 nm. In situ synchrotron wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), quasi-in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that, during CORR, the CuO precursors transformed into ∼30 nm metallic Cu particles with a crystalline domain size of ∼17 nm, independently of the initial size of the CuO precursors. Despite their similar morphology, the samples presented different Faradaic efficiencies (FE

SUBMITTER: Rollier FA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11385435 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature