Tuning Cu/Cu2O Interfaces for the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

AbstractArtificial photosynthesis can be used to store solar energy and reduce CO2 into fuels to potentially alleviate global warming and the energy crisis. Compared to the generation of gaseous products, it remains a great challenge to tune the product distribution of artificial photosynthesis to liquid fuels, such as CH3OH, which are suitable for storage and transport. Herein, we describe the introduction of metallic Cu nanoparticles (NPs) on Cu2O films to change the product distribution from gaseous products on bare Cu2O to predominantly CH3OH by CO2 reduction in aqueous solutions. The specifically designed Cu/Cu2O interfaces balance the binding strengths of H* and CO* intermediates, which play critical roles in CH3OH production. With a TiO2 model photoanode to construct a photoelectrochemical cell, a Cu/Cu2O dark cathode exhibited a Faradaic efficiency of up to 53.6 % for CH3OH production. This work demonstrates the feasibility and mechanism of interface engineering to enhance the CH3OH production from CO2 reduction in aqueous electrolytes.