Low Overpotential Electrochemical Reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> to Ethanol Enabled by Cu/Cu<sub>x</sub>O Nanoparticles Embedded in Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Cuboids
Monther Q. Alkoshab,
Eleni Thomou,
Ismail Abdulazeez,
Munzir H. Suliman,
Konstantinos Spyrou,
Wissam Iali,
Khalid Alhooshani,
Turki N. Baroud
Affiliations
Monther Q. Alkoshab
Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Eleni Thomou
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Ismail Abdulazeez
Interdisciplinary Research Center for Membranes and Water Security, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Munzir H. Suliman
Interdisciplinary Research Center for Hydrogen and Energy Storage (IRC-HES), King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Konstantinos Spyrou
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Wissam Iali
Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Khalid Alhooshani
Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Turki N. Baroud
Interdisciplinary Research Center for Membranes and Water Security, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
The electrochemical conversion of CO2 into value-added chemicals is a promising approach for addressing environmental and energy supply problems. In this study, electrochemical CO2 catalysis to ethanol is achieved using incorporated Cu/CuxO nanoparticles into nitrogenous porous carbon cuboids. Pyrolysis of the coordinated Cu cations with nitrogen heterocycles allowed Cu nanoparticles to detach from the coordination complex but remain dispersed throughout the porous carbon cuboids. The heterogeneous composite Cu/CuxO-PCC-0h electrocatalyst reduced CO2 to ethanol at low overpotential in 0.5 M KHCO3, exhibiting maximum ethanol faradaic efficiency of 50% at −0.5 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Such electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the synergy between pyridinic nitrogen species, Cu/CuxO nanoparticles, and porous carbon morphology, together providing efficient CO2 diffusion, activation, and intermediates stabilization. This was supported by the notably high electrochemically active surface area, rich porosity, and efficient charge transfer properties.