The Role of Subsurface Oxygen on Cu Surfaces for CO 2 Electrochemical Reduction
Under ambient conditions, copper with oxygen near the surface displays strengthened CO 2 and CO adsorption energies. This finding is often used to rationalize differences seen in product distributions between Cu-oxide and pure Cu electrodes during electrochemical CO 2 reduction. However, little evidence exists to confirm the presence of oxygen within first few layers of the Cu matrix under relevant experimental reducing conditions. As a result, using density functional theory calculations, we discuss the stability of subsurface oxygen from thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives, and show that under reducing potentials, subsurface oxygen alone should have negligible effects on the activity of crystalline Cu.
- Authors:
-
[1]
; [2]
; [1]
; [3]
- Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou (China)
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515
- Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Physical Chemistry. C
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry. C; Journal ID: ISSN 1932-7447
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society
- Research Org:
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org:
- USDOE
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1457147