Assessment of the Degradation Mechanisms of Cu Electrodes during the CO2 Reduction Reaction
Catalyst degradation and product selectivity changes are two of the key challenges in the electrochemical reduction of CO2 on copper electrodes. Yet, these aspects are often overlooked. Here, we combine in situ X-ray spectroscopy, in situ electron microscopy, and ex situ characterization techniques...
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Published in | ACS applied materials & interfaces Vol. 15; no. 25; pp. 30052 - 30059 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
American Chemical Society
28.06.2023
American Chemical Society (ACS) |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Catalyst degradation and product selectivity changes are two of the key challenges in the electrochemical reduction of CO2 on copper electrodes. Yet, these aspects are often overlooked. Here, we combine in situ X-ray spectroscopy, in situ electron microscopy, and ex situ characterization techniques to follow the long-term evolution of the catalyst morphology, electronic structure, surface composition, activity, and product selectivity of Cu nanosized crystals during the CO2 reduction reaction. We found no changes in the electronic structure of the electrode under cathodic potentiostatic control over time, nor was there any build-up of contaminants. In contrast, the electrode morphology is modified by prolonged CO2 electroreduction, which transforms the initially faceted Cu particles into a rough/rounded structure. In conjunction with these morphological changes, the current increases and the selectivity changes from value-added hydrocarbons to less valuable side reaction products, i.e., hydrogen and CO. Hence, our results suggest that the stabilization of a faceted Cu morphology is pivotal for ensuring optimal long-term performance in the selective reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbons and oxygenated products. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 LA-UR-23-26590 89233218CNA000001 USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) |
ISSN: | 1944-8244 1944-8252 |
DOI: | 10.1021/acsami.2c23007 |