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Title: Structural defects on converted bismuth oxide nanotubes enable highly active electrocatalysis of carbon dioxide reduction

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [5];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [6]; ORCiD logo [4];  [3];  [2];  [1]
  1. Soochow Univ., Suzhou (China)
  2. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)
  3. Nanjing Univ. (China)
  4. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
  5. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
  6. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)

Formic acid (or formate) is suggested to be one of the most economically viable products from electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction. However, its commercial viability hinges on the development of highly active and selective electrocatalysts. Here we report that structural defects have a profound positive impact on the electrocatalytic performance of bismuth. Bismuth oxide double-walled nanotubes with fragmented surface are prepared as a template, and are cathodically converted to defective bismuth nanotubes. This converted electrocatalyst enables carbon dioxide reduction to formate with excellent activity, selectivity and stability. Most significantly, its current density reaches ~288 mA cm-2 at -0.61 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode within a flow cell reactor under ambient conditions. Using density functional theory calculations, the excellent activity and selectivity are rationalized as the outcome of abundant defective bismuth sites that stabilize the *OCHO intermediate. Furthermore, this electrocatalyst is coupled with silicon photocathodes and achieves high-performance photoelectrochemical carbon dioxide reduction.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office (EE-3V)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1559554
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 10, Issue 1; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 344 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (11)

Cu 2 O Nanoparticles with Both {100} and {111} Facets for Enhancing the Selectivity and Activity of CO 2 Electroreduction to Ethylene journal March 2020
Promises of Main Group Metal–Based Nanostructured Materials for Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction to Formate journal November 2019
Bi 2 O 3 Nanosheets Grown on Multi‐Channel Carbon Matrix to Catalyze Efficient CO 2 Electroreduction to HCOOH journal July 2019
In Situ Reconstruction of a Hierarchical Sn‐Cu/SnO x Core/Shell Catalyst for High‐Performance CO 2 Electroreduction journal February 2020
Bi 2 O 3 Nanosheets Grown on Multi‐Channel Carbon Matrix to Catalyze Efficient CO 2 Electroreduction to HCOOH journal September 2019
In Situ Reconstruction of a Hierarchical Sn‐Cu/SnO x Core/Shell Catalyst for High‐Performance CO 2 Electroreduction journal February 2020
Advances of 2D bismuth in energy sciences journal January 2020
Catalytic reduction of nitrogen to produce ammonia by bismuth-based catalysts: state of the art and future prospects journal January 2020
Electrochemical exfoliation from an industrial ingot: ultrathin metallic bismuth nanosheets for excellent CO 2 capture and electrocatalytic conversion journal January 2019
Current progress in electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction to fuels on heterogeneous catalysts journal January 2020
Bismuthene for highly efficient carbon dioxide electroreduction reaction journal February 2020

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