Contact-electro-catalytic CO2 reduction from ambient air

Abstract

Traditional catalytic techniques often encounter obstacles in the search for sustainable solutions for converting CO2 into value-added products because of their high energy consumption and expensive catalysts. Here, we introduce a novel contact-electro- catalysis approach for CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), achieving an exceptional CO Faradaic efficiency of 96.24%. The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is made up of electrospun PVDF loaded with single Cu atoms-anchored polymeric carbon nitride (Cu-PCN) catalysts and quaternized cellulose nanofibers (CNF) with strong CO2 adsorption capabilities, allowing CO2RR even at extremely low CO2 concentrations in the ambient air. In compared to the state-of-the-art air-based CO2RR technologies, the contact-electro-catalysis induced CO production attains a record-breaking yield of 33 μmolg-1h-1. Mechanistic investigation shows that chemical adsorption between quaternized CNF and CO2 occurs, allowing for effective CO2 capture in low-concentration conditions. More intriguingly, the single-atom copper in Cu-PCN loaded on PVDF fibers can effectively enrich electrons in triboelectrification, promoting CO2RR. This ground-breaking technique provides a game-changing solution for significantly reducing airborne CO2 emissions while advancing chemical sustainability strategy.

Recent Progress of Solid–Liquid Interface-Mediated Contact-Electro-Catalysis

“…Currently, there is an urgent need for artificial methods to maintain the carbon balance through efficient CO 2 conversion, ultimately achieving a carbon-neutral economy. Among these methods, CO 2 catalysis (including chemical, electrochemical, and photocatalysis) to produce high-value products from CO 2 has garnered widespread attention and research within the scientific community. , Li et al have proposed a novel CO 2 reduction method through CEC technology, which converts CO 2 into commercial products (e.g., CO). The structural schematic is shown in Figure a.…”

“…Copyright 2023, Zibiao Li, Research Square. (a–h) Reproduced with permission from ref . Copyright 2023 Springer Nature..…”

“…Owing to the above-mentioned advantages, CEC technology has been studied in a broad range of applications in the energy section, such as fuel cells and hydrogen production ,, via water electrolysis, as well as being used for waste treatments, such as wastewater remediation ,,,,− ,, and CO 2 conversion . The following section offers a comprehensive introduction to the application of CEC and the main methods for enhancing CE performance.…”