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Title: A metal-supported single-atom catalytic site enables carbon dioxide hydrogenation

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]
  1. Univ. of Toronto, ON (Canada); National Yang Ming Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu (Taiwan)
  2. Univ. of Toronto, ON (Canada)
  3. Taiwan Semiconductor Research Inst., Hsinchu (Taiwan)

Nitrogen-doped graphene-supported single atoms convert CO2 to CO, but fail to provide further hydrogenation to methane – a finding attributable to the weak adsorption of CO intermediates. To regulate the adsorption energy, here we investigate the metal-supported single atoms to enable CO2 hydrogenation. We find a copper-supported iron-single-atom catalyst producing a high-rate methane. Density functional theory calculations and in-situ Raman spectroscopy show that the iron atoms attract surrounding intermediates and carry out hydrogenation to generate methane. The catalyst is realized by assembling iron phthalocyanine on the copper surface, followed by in-situ formation of single iron atoms during electrocatalysis, identified using operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The copper-supported iron-single-atom catalyst exhibits a CO2-to-methane Faradaic efficiency of 64% and a partial current density of 128 mA cm–2, while the nitrogen-doped graphene-supported one produces only CO. The activity is 32 times higher than a pristine copper under the same conditions of electrolyte and bias.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1854200
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 13; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH

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