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  4. The spatial distribution of cobalt phthalocyanine and copper nanocubes controls the selectivity towards C-2 products in tandem electrocatalytic CO2 reduction
 
research article

The spatial distribution of cobalt phthalocyanine and copper nanocubes controls the selectivity towards C-2 products in tandem electrocatalytic CO2 reduction

Wang, Min
•
Loiudice, Anna  
•
Okatenko, Valery  
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January 4, 2023
Chemical Science

The coupling of CO-generating molecular catalysts with copper electrodes in tandem schemes is a promising strategy to boost the formation of multi-carbon products in the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2. While the spatial distribution of the two components is important, this aspect remains underexplored for molecular-based tandem systems. Herein, we address this knowledge gap by studying tandem catalysts comprising Co-phthalocyanine (CoPc) and Cu nanocubes (Cu-cub). In particular, we identify the importance of the relative spatial distribution of the two components on the performance of the tandem catalyst by preparing CoPc-Cu-cub/C, wherein the CoPc and Cu-cub share an interface, and CoPc-C/Cu-cub, wherein the CoPc is loaded first on carbon black (C) before mixing with the Cu-cub. The electrocatalytic measurements of these two catalysts show that the faradaic efficiency towards C-2 products almost doubles for the CoPc-Cu-cub/C, whereas it decreases by half for the CoPc-C/Cu-cub, compared to the Cu-cub/C. Our results highlight the importance of a direct contact between the CO-generating molecular catalyst and the Cu to promote C-C coupling, which hints at a surface transport mechanism of the CO intermediate between the two components of the tandem catalyst instead of a transfer via CO diffusion in the electrolyte followed by re-adsorption.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1039/d2sc06359j
Web of Science ID

WOS:000912681000001

Author(s)
Wang, Min
Loiudice, Anna  
Okatenko, Valery  
Sharp, Ian D. D.
Buonsanti, Raffaella  
Date Issued

2023-01-04

Publisher

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY

Published in
Chemical Science
Volume

14

Issue

5

Start page

1097

End page

1104

Subjects

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

•

Chemistry

•

carbon-dioxide

•

conversion

•

electroreduction

•

challenges

•

catalysts

•

coverage

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LNCE  
Available on Infoscience
February 13, 2023
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/194776
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