Stabilizing Cu 2+ Ions by Solid Solutions to Promote CO 2 Electroreduction to Methane

Copper is the only metal catalyst that can perform the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CRR) to produce hydrocarbons and oxygenates. Its surface oxidation state determines the reaction pathway to various products. However, under the cathodic potential of CRR conditions, the chemical composition of most Cu-based catalysts inevitably undergoes electroreduction from Cu2+ to Cu0 or Cu1+ species, which is generally coupled with phase reconstruction and the formation of new active sites. Since the initial Cu2+ active sites are hard to retain, there have been few studies about Cu2+ catalysts for CRR. Herein we propose a solid-solution strategy to stabilize Cu2+ ions by incorporating them into a CeO2 matrix,…

• AR
  Australian Research Council

  Awards: FT200100062, DP190103472, FL170100154