Achieving efficient electroreduction of CO2 to CO in a wide potential window by encapsulating Ni nanoparticles in N-doped carbon nanotubes. (15th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Zhaozhao; Li, Zhao; Wei, Xinxin; Wang, Junjie; Xiao, Shuhao; Li, Rong; Wu, Rui; Chen, Jun Song
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 185(2021)
• Page Start: 9
• Page End: 16
• Publication Date: 2021-11-15
• Subjects: Ni@NCNT -- CO2 electroreduction -- N-doped carbon nanotubes -- Intermediate stabilization -- Wide potential window; Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2021.08.072
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: Developing efficient and stable catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) in a wide potential window is highly desirable for achieving carbon neutrality, but remains greatly challenging. Herein, we demonstrate a facile synthetic strategy to synthesize transition metal nickel-nitrogen-carbon (Ni-N-C) catalyst where nickel nanoparticles have been in-situ encapsulated into N-doped carbon nanotubes (Ni@NCNT) for CO2 RR. Strikingly, the as-prepared Ni@NCNT catalyst shows a high CO Faradaic efficiency (>90%) in a wide potential range of −0.65 to −1.0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode ( vs. RHE), a large current density of 16.3 mA cm −2 at −0.8 V vs . RHE and robust durability after a continuous electroreduction of 18 h. Density functional theory calculations suggest that compared to pure Ni (111) and Ni nanoparticles-free solid N-doped carbon nanorods (NCNR), Ni@NCNT can more effectively suppress H2 evolution and stabilize ∗COOH intermediates without influencing ∗CO desorption, thus, giving rise to high activity and desirable selectivity toward CO2 RR. Graphical abstract: Image 1