Effects of ligand tuning and core doping of atomically precise copper nanoclusters on CO2 electroreduction selectivity

Mei Ding; Li Tang; Xiaoshuang Ma; Caixia Song; Shuxin Wang

doi:10.1038/s42004-022-00779-0

Effects of ligand tuning and core doping of atomically precise copper nanoclusters on CO₂ electroreduction selectivity

Commun Chem. 2022 Dec 19;5(1):172. doi: 10.1038/s42004-022-00779-0.

Authors

Mei Ding¹, Li Tang¹, Xiaoshuang Ma², Caixia Song³, Shuxin Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, P. R. China.
² College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, P. R. China. xiaoshuang_ma@qust.edu.cn.
³ College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, P. R. China. songcaixia@qust.edu.cn.
⁴ College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, P. R. China. shuxin_wang@qust.edu.cn.

Abstract

Atomically precise nanoclusters (NCs) provide opportunities for correlating the structure and electrocatalytic properties at atomic level. Herein, we report the single-atom doping effect and ligand effect on CO₂ electroreduction (eCO₂RR) by comparing monogold-doped Au₁Cu₂₄ and homocopper Cu₂₅ NCs protected by triphenylphosphine or/and tris(4-fluorophenyl)phosphine. Catalytic results revealed that the electronic distribution of Cu₂₅ NCs is enormously contracted by doping Au atoms, entitling it to exhibit the unique inhibition of hydrogen evolution reaction. And the inductive effect of ligand strongly favors the formation of formate in eCO₂RR. Overall, this work will provide guidance for the rational design of the copper-based catalysts in the eCO₂RR.

Abstract

Grants and funding