Electrolyte effect for carbon dioxide reduction reaction on copper electrode interface: A DFT prediction

Xia-Guang Zhang; Yu Zhao; Si Chen; Shu-Ming Xing; Jin-Chao Dong; Jian-Feng Li

doi:10.1063/5.0139463

Electrolyte effect for carbon dioxide reduction reaction on copper electrode interface: A DFT prediction

J Chem Phys. 2023 Mar 7;158(9):094704. doi: 10.1063/5.0139463.

Authors

Xia-Guang Zhang¹, Yu Zhao², Si Chen¹, Shu-Ming Xing², Jin-Chao Dong², Jian-Feng Li²

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Energy, College of Physical Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.

PMID: 36889978
DOI: 10.1063/5.0139463

Abstract

An insightful understanding of the interaction between the electrolyte and reaction intermediate and how promotion reaction occurs of electrolyte is challenging in the electrocatalysis reaction. Herein, theoretical calculations are used to investigate the reaction mechanism of CO₂ reduction reaction to CO with different electrolytes at the Cu(111) surface. By analyzing the charge distribution of the chemisorbed CO₂ (CO₂ ^δ-) formation process, we find that the charge transfer is from metal electrode transfer to CO₂ and the hydrogen bond interaction between electrolytes and CO₂ ^δ- not only plays a key role in the stabilization of CO₂ ^δ- structure but also reduces the formation energy of *COOH. In addition, the characteristic vibration frequency of intermediates in different electrolyte solutions shows that H₂O is a component of HCO₃ ^-, promoting CO₂ adsorption and reduction. Our results provide essential insights into the role of electrolyte solutions in interface electrochemistry reactions and help understand the catalysis process at the molecular level.