Tuning single atom-nanoparticle ratios of Ni-based catalysts for synthesis gas production from CO2

Abstract

Converting CO2 into hydrocarbons is one of the preferred solutions to global energy and environmental emergency. Compared with directly reducing CO2, co-electroreduction of CO2 and water into synthesis gas (syngas) is more efficient and practical due to the extensive usage of syngas for industrial hydrocarbons mass-production. Recently, single atomic catalysts have shown exciting properties in CO2 reduction due to unique atomic metal-nitrogen coordination structure. Here, we developed a facile method to synthesize a series of single atomic Ni and 4.1 nm Ni nanoparticles (Ni NPs) co-doped 100 nm mesoporous nitrogen doped carbon nanorods for controlled syngas producing from CO2. The ratio of single atomic Ni and Ni NPs can be tuned from 1:0 to 1:5, which generate syngas with tunable proportions from 1:9 to 19:1, respectively. High current density (>15 mA·cm−2) and long-term stability (>8 h) catalysts for syngas production were also achieved at -0.65V vs. RHE.