ANN ARBOR, MI
Researchers are making strides in carbon neutrality with innovative copper electrocatalysts that transform CO2 into valuable fuels. In electrochemical CO2 conversion, most catalyst materials preferably produce less-desired products, but copper stands out for producing high-value molecules like ethanol. A breakthrough technique using atomic layer deposition (ALD) of copper achieved a 75% selectivity for valuable C2+ products, surpassing other methods for preparation of the copper catalyst.
The ALD process yields copper electrocatalysts with consistent size and even distribution, i.e. “high conformality,” significantly suppressing unwanted hydrogen evolution to less than 10% and demonstrating stable performance for 15 hours. This advancement offers a promising approach to integrating CO2 conversion into carbon-neutral cycles, particularly when paired with green electricity.
The ALD method opens new avenues for catalyst design, providing a scalable manufacturing solution. However, current findings are based on H-cell configurations, and the exact mechanism behind the improved selectivity remains unconfirmed. Future work will involve deploying these catalysts in flow-architecture systems and exploring additional properties like oxidation state and dopant elements.
Funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, this research, published in Nano Letters, highlights the pivotal role of TRINA Materials in creating a carbon-neutral circular economy through enhanced CO2-to-fuel conversion.
For more details, visit the published article in Nano Letters here.