Hybrid CoPc/Cu-Based core-shell nanocatalyst for exploring electrocatalytic tandem effect in CO2RR

Identifier:  TFM:2211

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM2211

Authors:  Grados Rion, Marta

Abstract:
In recent years, there has been an increase in the release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, which has led to a direct dramatic impact on global warming and environmental issues. This has pushed the scientific community to accelerate the development of innovative technologies for reducing CO2 emissions. Given these findings, this research focuses on the transformation of CO2 into sustainable chemicals and fuels using copper-based nanocatalysts. The inherent property of copper to absorb CO intermediates and promote the C-C coupling step for the formation of C2+ products makes copper a unique catalyst, capable of producing multi-carbon products. However, the copper-based catalysts exhibit low selectivity, as they can produce a wide range of products, including C1 (mainly CO and HCOO-) and C2+ products (especially C2H4 and C2H5OH). One strategy to boost the selectivity involves designing dual-site tandem catalysts, where a CO2-to-CO selective co-catalyst supplies CO molecules to copper sites, thereby facilitating C-C dimerization. In this context, a core-shell system was synthesized, encapsulating Cu2O NCs with a polymeric coating formed via an azide-alkyne “click’’ reaction between tetra-azido substituted cobalt (II) phthalocyanine (CoPc) – a well-known compound for its high selectivity towards CO production – and alkyne-substituted monomers. The study explores the effect of a hybrid CoPc/Cu-based core-shell system in the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 for the selective conversion into valuable industrial products, identifying the parameters that have the greatest impact on selectivity and activity.