Ensemble effects in Cu/Au ultrasmall nanoparticles control the branching point for C1 selectivity during CO₂ electroreduction.

ABSTRACT: Bimetallic catalysts provide opportunities to overcome scaling laws governing selectivity of CO₂ reduction (CO₂R). Cu/Au nanoparticles show promise for CO₂R, but Au surface segregation on particles with sizes ≥7 nm prevent investigation of surface atom ensembles. Here we employ ultrasmall (2 nm) Cu/Au nanoparticles as catalysts for CO₂R. The high surface to volume ratio of ultrasmall particles inhibits formation of a Au shell, enabling the study of ensemble effects in Cu/Au nanoparticles with controllable composition and uniform size and shape. Electrokinetics show a nonmonotonic dependence of C1 selectivity between CO and HCOOH, with the 3Au:1Cu composition showing the highest HCOOH selectivity. Density functional theory identifies Cu₂

SUBMITTER: Shang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8261774 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature