Progresses on carbon dioxide electroreduction into methane

doi:10.1016/S1872-2067(21)63967-0

Abstract

Abstract:

The conversion of CO₂ into value-added chemicals and fuels via electrochemical methods paves a promising avenue to mitigate both energy and environmental crisis. Among all the carbonaceous products derived from CO₂ electroreduction, CH₄ is one of the most important carriers for chemical bond energy storage due to the highest value of mass heat. Herein, starting from the proposed reaction mechanisms reported previously, we summarized the recent progresses on CO₂ electroreduction into CH₄ from the perspective of catalyst design strategies including construction of sub-nanometer catalytic sites, modulation of interfaces, in-situ structural evolution, and engineering of tandem catalysts. On the basis of both the previously theoretical predictions and experimental results, we aimed to gain insights into the reaction mechanism for the formation of CH₄, which, in turn, would provide guidelines for the design of highly efficient catalysts.

Key words: CO₂ electroreduction, CH₄ formation, Design of catalyst

Han Zheng, Zhengwu Yang, Xiangdong Kong, Zhigang Geng, Jie Zeng. Progresses on carbon dioxide electroreduction into methane[J]. Chinese Journal of Catalysis, 2022, 43(7): 1634-1641.

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URL: https://www.cjcatal.com/EN/10.1016/S1872-2067(21)63967-0

https://www.cjcatal.com/EN/Y2022/V43/I7/1634

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1. (a) Scheme of the reaction pathway for CO2 electroreduction to CH4; UL for elementary proton-transfer steps as a function of the binding energy for CO (EB[CO]) (b) and OH (EB[OH]) (c) over various electrocatalysts. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [22]. Copyright 2012, American Chemical Society.

Fig. 2. (a) HAADF-STEM image for SA-Zn/MNC. The bright dots were Zn atoms, some of which were highlighted by yellow circles. (b) EXAFS spectra for SA-Zn/MNC and standard samples. (c) FE for CH4 over SA-Zn/MNC at various applied potentials towards CO2 electroreduction. (d) The j and yield rate of CH4 over SA-Zn/MNC plotted against the concentration of CO2-saturated KHCO3 at -1.8 V vs. SCE. (e) Free energy diagrams for CO2 electroreduction into CH4 on Zn-N4-graphene at 0 and 0.87 V. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [33]. Copyright 2020 American Chemical Society.

Fig. 3. (a) TEM image of Cu/CeO2?x HDs. The insert showed the corresponding EDX elemental mapping of an individual Cu/CeO2?x HD. (b) FE and j for the products involved in CO2 electroreaction over CeO2?x nanocrystals (CeO2?x NCs), Cu NCs, Cu-CeO2?x mix, Cu/CeO2?x HDs at -1.2 V vs. RHE. (c) Charge exchange map between Cu(111) slab and CeO2?x cluster. The red and green isosurfaces were the enrichment and depletion regions, respectively. Ce, Cu, O, and H atoms in (c) were represented with blue spheres with sizes following the order of Ce > Cu > O > H. (d) Partial density of states (PDOS) of the d-orbital of an interfacial Cu atom with and without CeO2?x cluster. Breaking scaling relations of CO*/CHO* (e) and H2CO*/OH* (f) through bidentate adsorption. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [40]. Copyright 2019, American Chemical Society.

Fig. 4. (a) Scheme for the structural evolution of La2CuO4 perovskite during CO2 electroreduction. Color code: Cu, brick red; La, blue; O, red; C, gray; H, white. (b) HRTEM image and corresponding selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern (inset) of the Cu/La2CuO4. (c) XRD pattern of Cu/La2CuO4. (d) FE for the products involved in CO2 electroreduction over Cu/La2CuO4 at various applied potentials. (e) Chronoamperometric tests over Cu/La2CuO4 at various applied potentials. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [48]. Copyright 2020, American Chemical Society.

Fig. 5. (a) A proposed tandem mechanism of CO2 electroreduction into CH4 over CoPc@Zn-N-C. FE (b) and j (c) for CH4 towards CO2 electroreduction over various catalysts. (d) The free energy profile and optimized configurations of intermediates towards CO2 electroreduction into CH4. Part (1) was CO2 electroreduction into CO while part (2) represented CO electroreduction into CH4 over both CoPc and ZnN4. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [52]. Copyright 2020, John Wiley and Sons.

Table 1 Comparision of catalytic performance for recently reported electrocatalysts towards CO2 electroreduction into CH4.

Catalyst	Electrolyte/cell	Potential (V vs. RHE)	FE(CH₄) (%)	j(CH₄) (mA cm^-2)	Stability (h)	Ref.
Cu₂O@CuHHTP	0.1 mol/L KCl+0.1 mol/L KHCO₃/H Cell	-1.4	73	-10.8	5	[20]
Cu-N-C-900	0.1 mol/L KHCO₃/H Cell	-1.6	38.6	-14.8	10	[32]
SA-Zn/MNC	1 mol/L KHCO₃/H Cell	~-1.2	85	-31.8	35	[33]
Cu-CeO₂-4%	0.1 mol/L KHCO₃/H cell	-1.8	58	-56	2.5	[34]
Cu Clusters/DRC	0.5 mol/L KHCO₃/H Cell	-1.0	81.7	-18	40	[35]
CoO/Cu/PTFE	1 mol/L KHCO₃/Flow Cell	-1.1	60	-135	18	[36]
Cu/CeO_2-_x HDs	0.1 mol/L KHCO₃/H cell	-1.2	54	~-1.62	12.5	[40]
Au-Pb	0.5 mol/L KHCO₃/H Cell	-1.07	2.8	~-0.30	3	[41]
CuPc	0.5 mol/L KHCO₃/H cell	-1.06	66	-13	—	[42]
Cu/La₂CuO₄	1 mol/L KOH/Flow Cell	-1.4	56.3	-117	0.28	[48]
Cu₆₈Ag₃₂	0.5 mol/L KHCO₃/H cell	-1.17	60	~-50	50	[49]
Tandem Ag-Cu	0.1 mol/L NaHCO₃/H Cell	-1.1	60	-5.04	2	[51]
CoPc@Zn-N-C	1 mol/L KOH/Flow Cell	-1.24	18.3	-44.3	—	[52]
Pyramid Cu-Ag	0.2 mol/L KHCO₃/H cell	-1.1	62	-12.7	12	[55]
Cu NWs	0.1 mol/L KHCO₃/H cell	-1.25	55	~-7.8	3	[56]

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