Hierarchical Ag-Cu interfaces promote C-C coupling in tandem CO2 electroreduction

Ag–Sb/Cu by Galvanic Replacement: Electrochemical CO2 Reduction and Unveiling C3+ Hydrocarbon Pathways

“…While this product is briefly discussed in Section , it is not extensively addressed throughout the paper. For bare Cu, CO, CH 4 , and C 2 H 4 were notably produced, aligning with expectations from literature reports (refer to Figure a). − For bare Ag, a CO FE of 69.2% was observed, and C 2 hydrocarbons were minimal, registering below an FE of 0.2%. Sb, on the other hand, produced CO with an FE of only 1%.…”

“…11−29 The reaction for C 2 H 4 generation involves *CO−*CO + 8H + + 8e − → C 2 H 4 + 2H 2 O. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]59,61 However, this process requires a high density of neighboring *CO on the surface. 59 When the *CO density is low, the hydrogenation process occurs kinetically faster, and the coupling takes place later.…”

“…Copper (Cu) is one of the most extensively studied pure metals in electrochemical (EC) CO 2 reduction, − and Ag/Cu has been among the most researched bimetallic electrode configurations. − Ag/Cu electrodes exhibit unique synergistic effects in C–C coupling, enhancing the productivity of C 2+ reduction products like C 2 H 4 , ethanol, and propanol in EC CO 2 reduction. The preparation methods of Ag/Cu electrodes influence C–C coupling, with different methodologies altering the balance, favoring either more CO or CH 4 production. − The selectivity and productivity of CO, formate, CH 4 , and C–C coupled reduction products are strongly influenced by the characteristics of the electrode surfaces.…”

Acidic Media Impedes Tandem Catalysis Reaction Pathways in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

“…[23] Notably, several reports have also described a multicarbon selectivity shift towards oxygenates such as ethanol with tandem catalysis. [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] In this work, we investigate tandem catalysis effects in both neutral and acidic media using CuAg catalysts of varying composition ratios. Consistent with prior literature, we find that the CuAg system does indeed exhibit enhanced ethanol production [27][28][29][30][31] under CO 2 R conditions as compared to Cu in neutral media.…”

“…Ag) is introduced in close proximity to Cu, which then induces a higher CO coverage on Cu and promotes C−C coupling [23] . Notably, several reports have also described a multicarbon selectivity shift towards oxygenates such as ethanol with tandem catalysis [24–31] …”