Gao Xinyang, Jiang Yongjun, Liu Jiyuan, Shi Guoshuai, Yang Chunlei, Xu Qinshang, Yun Yuanqing, Shen Yuluo, Chang Mingwei, Zhu Chenyuan, Lu Tingyu, Wang Yin, Du Guanchen, Li Shuzhou, Dai Sheng, Zhang Liming
Department of Chemistry, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
Nat Commun. 2024 Nov 28;15(1):10331. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54630-2.
A bimetallic heterostructure has been shown effective to enhance the multi-carbon (C) product selectivity in CO electroreduction. Clarifying the interfacial structure under electrolysis and its decisive role in the pathway selection are crucial, yet challenging. Here, we conceive a well-defined Ag-Cu biphasic heterostructure to understand the interfacial structure-steered product selectivity: The Cu-rich interface prefers ethylene, while the dominant product switch to alcohols with an increasing Ag fraction, and finally to CO as Ag occupying the main surface. We unravel a *CO intermediate-regulated interfacial restructuring, and observe abundant of Cu atoms migrating onto the neighboring Ag surface under a locally high *CO concentration. The evolving structure alters the oxyphilic characteristic at the interface, which profoundly determines the hydrogenation energetics of CO and ultimately, the dominant C product. This work explicitly links the evolving interfacial structure with distinct C pathway, formulating design guidelines for bimetallic electrocatalysts with selectively enhanced C yields.
双金属异质结构已被证明能有效提高CO电还原中多碳(C)产物的选择性。阐明电解过程中的界面结构及其在反应路径选择中的决定性作用至关重要,但也具有挑战性。在此,我们构建了一种明确的Ag-Cu双相异质结构,以了解界面结构导向的产物选择性:富Cu界面有利于生成乙烯,而随着Ag含量的增加,主要产物转变为醇类,最终当Ag占据主要表面时产物变为CO。我们揭示了一种CO中间体调控的界面重构,并观察到在局部高CO浓度下大量Cu原子迁移到相邻的Ag表面。不断演变的结构改变了界面处的亲氧特性,这深刻地决定了CO的氢化能,最终决定了主要的C产物。这项工作明确地将不断演变的界面结构与不同的C反应路径联系起来,为选择性提高C产率的双金属电催化剂制定了设计指导原则。