Atomically dispersed Fe 3+ sites catalyze efficient CO 2 electroreduction to CO
Top Cited Papers
- 14 June 2019
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 364 (6445), 1091-1094
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw7515
Abstract
Currently, the most active electrocatalysts for the conversion of CO2 to CO are gold-based nanomaterials, whereas non–precious metal catalysts have shown low to modest activity. Here, we report a catalyst of dispersed single-atom iron sites that produces CO at an overpotential as low as 80 millivolts. Partial current density reaches 94 milliamperes per square centimeter at an overpotential of 340 millivolts. Operando x-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed the active sites to be discrete Fe3+ ions, coordinated to pyrrolic nitrogen (N) atoms of the N-doped carbon support, that maintain their +3 oxidation state during electrocatalysis, probably through electronic coupling to the conductive carbon support. Electrochemical data suggest that the Fe3+ sites derive their superior activity from faster CO2 adsorption and weaker CO absorption than that of conventional Fe2+ sites.Keywords
Funding Information
- H2020 European Research Council (681292)
- the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 107-2628-M-002-015-RSP)
- GAZNAT SA.
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