Heterostructured Bi–Cu2S nanocrystals for efficient CO2 electroreduction to formate. Issue 5 (28th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Han, Xue; Mou, Tianyou; Liu, Shikai; Ji, Mengxia; Gao, Qiang; He, Qian; Xin, Hongliang; Zhu, Huiyuan
• Is Part Of: Nanoscale horizons. Volume 7:Issue 5(2022)
• Page Start: 508
• Page End: 514
• Publication Date: 2022-02-28
• Subjects: Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; 620.505
• DOI: 10.1039/d1nh00661d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2055-6756

Abstract

Abstract : We report the proof-of-concept design of interfacial sites with a selectivity-governing and hydrogen evolution reaction-suppressing domain (Bi) and an electrokinetic-promoting domain (Cu2 S) for efficient CO2 electroreduction to formate. Abstract : The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (ECO2 RR) driven by renewable electricity holds promise to store intermittent energy in chemical bonds, while producing value-added chemicals and fuels sustainably. Unfortunately, it remains a grand challenge to simultaneously achieve a high faradaic efficiency (FE), a low overpotential, and a high current density of the ECO2 RR. Herein, we report the synthesis of heterostructured Bi–Cu2 S nanocrystals via a one-pot solution-phase method. The epitaxial growth of Cu2 S on Bi leads to abundant interfacial sites and the resultant heterostructured Bi–Cu2 S nanocrystals enable highly efficient ECO2 RR with a largely reduced overpotential (240 mV lower than that of Bi), a near-unity FE (>98%) for formate production, and a high partial current density (2.4- and 5.2-fold higher J HCOO − than Cu2 S and Bi at −1.0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the electron transfer from Bi to Cu2 S at the interface leads to the preferential stabilization of the formate-evolution intermediate (*OCHO).