Investigation of main group promoted carbon dioxide reduction

The reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is of interest to the chemical industry, as many synthetic materials can be derived from CO₂. To help determine the reagents needed for the functionalization of carbon dioxide this experimental and computational study describes the reduction of CO₂ to formate and CO with hydride, electron, and proton sources in the presence of sterically bulky Lewis acids and bases. The insertion of carbon dioxide into a main group hydride, generating a main group formate, was computed to be more thermodynamically favorable for more hydridic (reducing) main group hydrides. A ten kcal/mol increase in hydricity (more reducing) of a main group hydride resulted in a 35% increase in the main group hydride's ability to insert CO₂ into the main group hydride bond. The resulting main group formate exhibited a hydricity (reducing ability) about 10% less than the respective main group hydride prior to CO₂ insertion. Coordination of a second identical Lewis acid to a main group formate complex further reduced the hydricity by about another 20%. The addition of electrons to the CO₂ adduct of ^tBu₃P and B(C₆F₅)₃ resulted in converting the sequestered CO₂ molecule to CO. Reduction of the CO₂ adduct of ^tBu₃P and B(C₆F₅)₃ with both electrons and protons resulted in only proton reduction.     

Turning it off! Disfavouring hydrogen evolution to enhance selectivity for CO production during homogeneous CO2 reduction by cobalt–terpyridine complexes

Understanding the activity and selectivity of molecular catalysts for CO₂ reduction to fuels is an important scientific endeavour in addressing the growing global energy demand. Cobalt–terpyridine compounds have been shown to be catalysts for CO₂ reduction to CO while simultaneously producing H₂ from the requisite proton source. To investigate the parameters governing the competition for H⁺ reduction versus CO₂ reduction, the cobalt bisterpyridine class of compounds is first evaluated as H⁺ reduction catalysts. We report that electronic tuning of the ancillary ligand sphere can result in a wide range of second-order rate constants for H⁺ reduction. When this class of compounds is next submitted to CO₂ reduction conditions, a trend is found in which the less active catalysts for H⁺ reduction are the more selective towards CO₂ reduction to CO. This represents the first report of the selectivity of a molecular system for CO₂ reduction being controlled through turning off one of the competing reactions. The activities of the series of catalysts are evaluated through foot-of-the-wave analysis and a catalytic Tafel plot is provided.     

Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 to Syngas with Controllable CO/H2 Ratios over Co and Ni Single‐Atom Catalysts

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) to yield synthesis gas (syngas, CO and H₂) has been considered as a promising method to realize the net reduction in CO₂ emission. However, it is challenging to balance the CO₂RR activity and the CO/H₂ ratio. To address this issue, nitrogen‐doped carbon supported single‐atom catalysts are designed as electrocatalysts to produce syngas from CO₂RR. While Co and Ni single‐atom catalysts are selective in producing H₂ and CO, respectively, electrocatalysts containing both Co and Ni show a high syngas evolution (total current >74 mA cm^?2) with CO/H₂ ratios (0.23–2.26) that are suitable for typical downstream thermochemical reactions. Density functional theory calculations provide insights into the key intermediates on Co and Ni single‐atom configurations for the H₂ and CO evolution. The results present a useful case on how non‐precious transition metal species can maintain high CO₂RR activity with tunable CO/H₂ ratios.     

Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 to Syngas with Controllable CO/H2 Ratios over Co and Ni Single-Atom Catalysts

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) to yield synthesis gas (syngas, CO and H₂) has been considered as a promising method to realize the net reduction in CO₂ emission. However, it is challenging to balance the CO₂RR activity and the CO/H₂ ratio. To address this issue, nitrogen-doped carbon supported single-atom catalysts are designed as electrocatalysts to produce syngas from CO₂RR. While Co and Ni single-atom catalysts are selective in producing H₂ and CO, respectively, electrocatalysts containing both Co and Ni show a high syngas evolution (total current >74 mA cm⁻²) with CO/H₂ ratios (0.23–2.26) that are suitable for typical downstream thermochemical reactions. Density functional theory calculations provide insights into the key intermediates on Co and Ni single-atom configurations for the H₂ and CO evolution. The results present a useful case on how non-precious transition metal species can maintain high CO₂RR activity with tunable CO/H₂ ratios.     

Additive-Free,Robust H2 Production from H2O and DMF by Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by Cu/Cu2O Formed In Situ

Hydrogen production from organic/inorganic hydrides is a promising strategy for the development of novel clean energy resources to replace fossil fuels and satisfy ever-increasing energy demands. Most current processes involve small flammable chemicals and are catalyzed by noble metals in basic media with the release of the greenhouse gas CO₂. Herein, we describe an alternative pathway for highly efficient and robust H₂ production through a dehydrogenation reaction between water and N,N-dimethylformamide catalyzed by Cu/Cu₂O catalysts formed in situ. The catalysts exhibit high and robust activity for H₂ production. Importantly, the formation of H₂ as the sole gas and the valuable by-product N,N-dimethylaminoformic acid make this process clean and valuable with 100 % atom economy.     

Additive‐Free,Robust H2 Production from H2O and DMF by Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by Cu/Cu2O Formed In Situ

Hydrogen production from organic/inorganic hydrides is a promising strategy for the development of novel clean energy resources to replace fossil fuels and satisfy ever‐increasing energy demands. Most current processes involve small flammable chemicals and are catalyzed by noble metals in basic media with the release of the greenhouse gas CO₂. Herein, we describe an alternative pathway for highly efficient and robust H₂ production through a dehydrogenation reaction between water and N ,N ‐dimethylformamide catalyzed by Cu/Cu₂O catalysts formed in situ. The catalysts exhibit high and robust activity for H₂ production. Importantly, the formation of H₂ as the sole gas and the valuable by‐product N ,N ‐dimethylaminoformic acid make this process clean and valuable with 100 % atom economy.     

Ceria-Supported Cobalt Catalyst for Low-Temperature Methanation at Low Partial Pressures of CO2

The direct catalytic conversion of atmospheric CO₂ to valuable chemicals is a promising solution to avert negative consequences of rising CO₂ concentration. However, heterogeneous catalysts efficient at low partial pressures of CO₂ still need to be developed. Here, we explore Co/CeO₂ as a catalyst for the methanation of diluted CO₂ streams. This material displays an excellent performance at reaction temperatures as low as 175 °C and CO₂ partial pressures as low as 0.4 mbar (the atmospheric CO₂ concentration). To gain mechanistic understanding of this unusual activity, we employed in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and operando infrared spectroscopy. The higher surface concentration and reactivity of formates and carbonyls—key reaction intermediates—explain the superior activity of Co/CeO₂ as compared to a conventional Co/SiO₂ catalyst. This work emphasizes the catalytic role of the cobalt-ceria interface and will aid in developing more efficient CO₂ hydrogenation catalysts.     

Influence of Composition of Nickel-Iron Nanoparticles for Abiotic CO2 Conversion to Early Prebiotic Organics

Abiotic synthesis of formate and short hydrocarbons takes place in serpentinizing vents where some members of vent microbial communities live on abiotic formate as their main carbon source. To better understand the catalytic properties of Ni−Fe minerals that naturally exist in hydrothermal vents, we have investigated the ability of synthetic Ni−Fe based nanoparticular solids to catalyze the H₂-dependent reduction of CO₂, the first step required for the beginning of pre-biotic chemistry. Mono and bimetallic Ni−Fe nanoparticles with varied Ni-to-Fe ratios transform CO₂ and H₂ into intermediates and products of the acetyl-coenzyme A pathway—formate, acetate, and pyruvate—in mM range under mild hydrothermal conditions. Furthermore, Ni−Fe catalysts converted CO₂ to similar products without molecular H₂ by using water as a hydrogen source. Both CO₂ chemisorption analysis and post-reaction characterization of materials indicate that Ni and Fe metals play complementary roles for CO₂ fixation.     

Surface Chemistry on Small Ruthenium Nanoparticles: Evidence for Site Selective Reactions and Influence of Ligands

The reactivity of two classes of ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru NPs) of small size, either sterically stabilized by a polymer (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP) or electronically stabilized by a ligand (bisdiphenylphosphinobutane, dppb) was tested towards standard reactions, namely CO oxidation, CO₂ reduction and styrene hydrogenation. The aim of the work was to identify the sites of reactivity on the nanoparticles and to study how the presence of ancillary ligands can influence the course of these catalytic reactions by using NMR and IR spectroscopies. It was found that CO oxidation proceeds at room temperature (RT) on Ru NPs but that the system deactivates rapidly in the absence of ligands because of the formation of RuO₂. In the presence of ligands, the reaction involves exclusively the bridging CO groups and no bulk oxidation is observed at RT under catalytic conditions. The reverse reaction, CO₂ reduction, is achieved at 120 °C in the presence of H₂ and leads to CO, which coordinates exclusively in a bridging mode, hence evidencing the competition between hydrides and CO for coordination on Ru NPs. The effect of ligands localized on the surface is also evidenced in catalytic reactions. Thus, styrene is slowly hydrogenated at RT by the two systems Ru/PVP and Ru/dppb, first into ethylbenzene and then into ethylcyclohexane. Selectively poisoning the nanoparticles with bridging CO groups leads to catalysts that are only able to reduce the vinyl group of styrene whereas a full poisoning with both terminal and bridging CO groups leads to inactive catalysts. These results are interpreted in terms of location of the ligands on the particles surface, and evidence site selectivity for both CO oxidation and arene hydrogenation.     

Emergence of CO2 electrolyzers including supported molecular catalysts

With access to cheap, sustainable electricity, electrocatalysis is a promising technology for converting electric power into storable chemical fuels or value-added chemical compounds. This has sparked the development of electrocatalysts that need to operate at high product selectivity and high energy efficiency. Electrocatalytic alcohol oxidation, oxygen activation and nitrogen and carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction are examples of reactions with a huge industrial potential. Notably, electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ has recently developed as a favourable pathway to convert this greenhouse gas into value-added chemicals and fuels. Earth-abundant metals stabilized by carbon/nitrogen macrocycle ligands are well-known efficient and selective catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ in homogeneous conditions. Recently, such catalysts have also been used in supported conditions and implemented in flow cell electrolyzers, showing promising performances. This review provides a synopsis for the evolution of CO₂ electrolyzers using molecular catalysts.     

Bifunctional Onium and Potassium Iodides as Nucleophilic Catalysts for the Solvent-Free Syntheses of Carbonates,Thiocarbonates, and Oxazolidinones from Epoxides

The catalytic potential of organo-onium iodides as nucleophilic catalysts is aptly demonstrated in the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and carbon dioxide (CO₂), as a representative CO₂ utilization reaction. Although organo-onium iodide nucleophilic catalysts are metal-free environmentally benign catalysts, harsh reaction conditions are generally required to efficiently promote the coupling reactions of epoxides and CO₂. To solve this problem and accomplish efficient CO₂ utilization reactions under mild conditions, bifunctional onium iodide nucleophilic catalysts bearing a hydrogen bond donor moiety were developed by our research group. Based on the successful bifunctional design of the onium iodide catalysts, nucleophilic catalysis using a potassium iodide (KI)-tetraethylene glycol complex was also investigated in coupling reactions of epoxides and CO₂ under mild reaction conditions. These effective bifunctional onium and potassium iodide nucleophilic catalysts were applied to the solvent-free syntheses of 2-oxazolidinones and cyclic thiocarbonates from epoxides.     

Two-dimensional Pt2P3 monolayer: A promising bifunctional electrocatalyst with different active sites for hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction

Green hydrogen production and CO₂ fixation have been identified as the fundamental techniques for sustainable economy. The open challenge is to develop high performance catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and CO₂ electroreduction (CO₂ER) to valuable chemicals. Under such context, this work reported computational efforts to design promising electrocatalyst for HER and CO₂ER based on the swarm-intelligence algorithm. Among the family of transition-metal phosphides (TMPs), Pt₂P₃ monolayer has been identified as excellent bifunctional catalysts due to high stability, excellent conductivity and superior catalytic performance. Different from typical d-block catalysts, p-band center presented by P atoms within Pt₂P₃ monolayer plays the essential role for its reactivity towards HER and CO₂ER, underlining the key value of p-electrons in advanced catalyst design and thus providing a promising strategy to further develop novel catalysts made of p-block elements for various energy applications.     

Key factors for designing single-atom metal-nitrogen-carbon catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction (CO₂RR) is a sustainable approach to mitigate the increased CO₂ emissions and simultaneously produce value-added chemicals and fuels. Metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) based single-atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as promising electrocatalysts for CO₂RR with high activity, selectivity, and stability. To design efficient SACs for CO₂RR, the key influence factors need to be understood. Here, we summarize recent achievements on M-N-C SACs for CO₂RR and highlight the significance of the key constituting factors, metal sites, the coordination environment, and the substrates, for achieving high CO₂RR performance. The perspective views and guidelines are provided for the future direction of developing M-N-C SACs as CO₂RR catalysts.     

Highly Rechargeable Lithium‐CO2 Batteries with a Boron‐ and Nitrogen‐Codoped Holey‐Graphene Cathode

Metal‐air batteries, especially Li‐air batteries, have attracted significant research attention in the past decade. However, the electrochemical reactions between CO₂ (0.04 % in ambient air) with Li anode may lead to the irreversible formation of insulating Li₂CO₃, making the battery less rechargeable. To make the Li‐CO₂ batteries usable under ambient conditions, it is critical to develop highly efficient catalysts for the CO₂ reduction and evolution reactions and investigate the electrochemical behavior of Li‐CO₂ batteries. Here, we demonstrate a rechargeable Li‐CO₂ battery with a high reversibility by using B,N‐codoped holey graphene as a highly efficient catalyst for CO₂ reduction and evolution reactions. Benefiting from the unique porous holey nanostructure and high catalytic activity of the cathode, the as‐prepared Li‐CO₂ batteries exhibit high reversibility, low polarization, excellent rate performance, and superior long‐term cycling stability over 200 cycles at a high current density of 1.0 A g⁻¹. Our results open up new possibilities for the development of long‐term Li‐air batteries reusable under ambient conditions, and the utilization and storage of CO₂.     

The catalytic performance of different promoted iron catalysts on combined supports Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> for carbon dioxide hydrogenation

Global warming, fossil fuel depletion and fuel price increases have motivated scientists to search for methods for the storage and reduction of the amount of greenhouse gases, especially CO₂. The hydrogenation process has been introduced as an emerging method of CO₂ capture and convertion into value-added products. In this study, new types of catalysts are introduced for CO₂ hydrogenation and are compared based on catalytic activity and product selectivity. The physical properties of the samples are specified using BET. Iron catalysts supported on γ-Al₂O₃ with different metal promoters (X = Ni, K, Mn, Cu) are prepared through the impregnation method. Moreover, Fe–Ni catalysts supported on HZSM5-Al₂O₃ and Ce–Al₂O₃ are synthesized. Samples are reduced by pure H₂ and involved in hydrogenation reaction in a fixed bed reactor (H₂/CO₂ = 3, total pressure = 10 MPa, temperature = 523 K, GHSV = 2000, 1250 nml/min). All catalysts provide high conversion in hydrogenation reactions and the results illustrate that the selectivity of light hydrocarbons is higher than that of methane and CO. It is found that Ni has a promoting effect on the conversion fluctuations throughout the reaction with 66.13% conversion. Using combined supported catalysts leads to enhancing catalytic performance. When Fe–Ni/γ–Al₂O₃—HZSM5 is utilized, CO₂ conversion is 81.66% and the stability of the Fe–Ni catalyst supported on Al₂O₃ and Ce–Al₂O₃ furthey improves.     

助剂对NiMgAl催化剂的结构和甲烷二氧化碳重整反应性能的影响(英文)

向担载镍基催化剂NiMgAl中添加助剂(Co,Ir或Pt)制备了三种助剂促进型催化剂,通过氢气程序升温还原(H2-TPR),CO2/CH4程序升温表面反应(CO2/CH4-TPSR)和CO2程序升温脱附(CO2-TPD)等方法对催化剂进行表征.助剂对催化剂性能的影响通过甲烷干重整实验进行评价.添加少量的Pt或Ir助剂可以降低Ni活性组分的还原温度和提高反应性能.添加助剂的样品与原始NiMgAl催化剂相比能够降低反应的活化能,添加Co或Ir助剂的催化剂与NiMgAl催化剂相比活化能有了明显的降低.NiMgAl催化剂的活化能为51.8 kJ·mol-1,添加Pt助剂的NiPtMgAl催化剂活化能降至26.4 kJ·mol-1.NiMgAl催化剂中添加Pt助剂制备的催化剂具有较好的催化活性和较低的活化能.CH4-TPSR和CO2-TPSR结果表明添加Pt助剂可以在更低的温度下(与NiMgAl催化剂相比)提高CH4的活化能力,并在催化剂表面形成更多的碳物种.CO2-TPD结果显示,添加助剂的催化剂与NiMgAl样品相比在反应温度区间内增加了CO2的吸附/脱附量.     

Highly Rechargeable Lithium-CO2 Batteries with a Boron- and Nitrogen-Codoped Holey-Graphene Cathode

Metal-air batteries, especially Li-air batteries, have attracted significant research attention in the past decade. However, the electrochemical reactions between CO₂ (0.04 % in ambient air) with Li anode may lead to the irreversible formation of insulating Li₂CO₃, making the battery less rechargeable. To make the Li-CO₂ batteries usable under ambient conditions, it is critical to develop highly efficient catalysts for the CO₂ reduction and evolution reactions and investigate the electrochemical behavior of Li-CO₂ batteries. Here, we demonstrate a rechargeable Li-CO₂ battery with a high reversibility by using B,N-codoped holey graphene as a highly efficient catalyst for CO₂ reduction and evolution reactions. Benefiting from the unique porous holey nanostructure and high catalytic activity of the cathode, the as-prepared Li-CO₂ batteries exhibit high reversibility, low polarization, excellent rate performance, and superior long-term cycling stability over 200 cycles at a high current density of 1.0 A g⁻¹. Our results open up new possibilities for the development of long-term Li-air batteries reusable under ambient conditions, and the utilization and storage of CO₂.     

Manipulating the Oxidation State of CuxO Catalysts to Optimize the Selectivity of Gaseous Products in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Copper-based (Cu-based) catalysts can efficiently convert carbon dioxide to multicarbon products by electrochemical reduction. In this paper, the electrocatalyst with the coexistence of three valence states of Cu(0)-Cu(I)-Cu(II) was successfully prepared by adjusting the experimental conditions. The catalyst was derived from Cu/Cu₂O prepared on carbon cloth and exhibited excellent CO₂ reduction performance. For carbon-gaseous products, the Faradaic efficiencies for the Cu-2 catalyst consisting of Cu(0)-Cu(I)-Cu(II) were 35.45±3.40 % at −1.66 V vs. RHE, of which 23.85±1.18 % for C₂H₄. And the synergistic effect of Cu(0)-Cu(I)-Cu(II) significantly improved the selectivity of the catalyst to C₂H₄. This paper provided an efficient method to rationally tune the valence state of Cu-based catalysts to improve CO₂ reduction performance.     

Tuning product selectivity in CO2 hydrogenation over metal-based catalysts

Conversion of CO₂ into chemicals is a promising strategy for CO₂ utilization, but its intricate transformation pathways and insufficient product selectivity still pose challenges. Exploiting new catalysts for tuning product selectivity in CO₂ hydrogenation is important to improve the viability of this technology, where reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) and methanation as competitive reactions play key roles in controlling product selectivity in CO₂ hydrogenation. So far, a series of metal-based catalysts with adjustable strong metal–support interactions, metal surface structure, and local environment of active sites have been developed, significantly tuning the product selectivity in CO₂ hydrogenation. Herein, we describe the recent advances in the fundamental understanding of the two reactions in CO₂ hydrogenation, in terms of emerging new catalysts which regulate the catalytic structure and switch reaction pathways, where the strong metal–support interactions, metal surface structure, and local environment of the active sites are particularly discussed. They are expected to enable efficient catalyst design for minimizing the deep hydrogenation and controlling the reaction towards the RWGS reaction. Finally, the potential utilization of these strategies for improving the performance of industrial catalysts is examined.

A series of metal oxide, phosphate, alloy, and carbide-based catalysts for selective CO₂ hydrogenation are summarized, showing their abilities to switch CO₂ methanation to RWGS.     

Striking Differences in Properties of Geometric Isomers of [Ir(tpy)(ppy)H]+: Experimental and Computational Studies of their Hydricities,Interaction with CO2, and Photochemistry

We prepared two geometric isomers of [Ir(tpy)(ppy)H]⁺, previously proposed as a key intermediate in the photochemical reduction of CO₂ to CO, and characterized their notably different ground‐ and excited‐state interactions with CO₂ and their hydricities using experimental and computational methods. Only one isomer, C‐trans‐[Ir(tpy)(ppy)H]⁺, reacts with CO₂ to generate the formato complex in the ground state, consistent with its calculated hydricity. Under photocatalytic conditions in CH₃CN/TEOA, a common reactive C‐trans‐[Ir(tpy)(ppy)]⁰ species, irrespective of the starting isomer or monodentate ligand (such as hydride or Cl), reacts with CO₂ and produces CO with the same catalytic efficiency.