Single site porphyrine-like structures advantages over metals for selective electrochemical CO2 reduction

Alexander Bagger, Wen Ju, Ana Sofia Varela, Peter Strasser, Jan Rossmeisl*

*Corresponding author for this work
55 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Currently, no catalysts are completely selective for the electrochemical CO2 Reduction Reaction (CO2RR). Based on trends in density functional theory calculations of reaction intermediates we find that the single metal site in a porphyrine-like structure has a simple advantage of limiting the competing Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). The single metal site in a porphyrine-like structure requires an ontop site binding of hydrogen, compared to the hollow site binding of hydrogen on a metal catalyst surface. The difference in binding site structure gives a fundamental energy-shift in the scaling relation of ∼0.3eV between the COOH* vs. H* intermediate (CO2RR vs. HER). As a result, porphyrine-like catalysts have the advantage over metal catalyst of suppressing HER and enhancing CO2RR selectivity.

Original languageEnglish
JournalCatalysis Today
Volume288
Pages (from-to)74-78
Number of pages5
ISSN0920-5861
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Keywords

  • CO reduction reaction
  • Electrochemistry
  • Porphyrine structures
  • Scaling relation

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