Self-healing Cu single-atom catalyst for high-performance electrocatalytic CO₂ methanation.

ABSTRACT: To address the escalating challenge of atmospheric CO2 emissions, this study proposes a self-healing Cu single atom (SA) catalyst design. By partially cleaving Cu-N bonds via hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), coordinatively unsaturated Cu sites form and spontaneously bond with adjacent ZrO2 clusters which are strategically positioned near the Cu SA, creating a hybrid Cu-N/O structure with enhanced performance. In situ Raman and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements confirm the dynamic reconstruction of coordination environment from CuN4 to CuN1O2 under electrochemical conditions. The reconstructed CuN1O2 achieve observed performance for CO2-to-CH4 conversion, reaching a Faradaic efficiency of 87.06 ± 3.22% at -500 mA cm-2 and 80.21 ± 1.01% at -1000 mA cm-2, which are threefo

SUBMITTER: Shen W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12381097 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature