Ferrocene‐Engineered Bimetallic MOF Nanoflowers Boost Selective CO <sub>2</sub> ‐to‐CH <sub>4</sub> Electrocatalysis via Dual‐Metal Synergy and Structural Precision

Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction to methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) is a promising route for sustainable energy conversion and carbon neutrality. However, limited control over intermediates and competition from the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) restrict selectivity and efficiency. To address these challenges, a ferrocene-based bimetallic metal-organic framework MOF catalyst (Ni<sub>x</sub>In<sub>y</sub>-Fc/NF) with a hierarchical nanoflower architecture is developed, where dual-metal synergy modulates the electronic structure at active sites. Incorporating redox-active ferrocene units and optimizing the Ni/In ratio enhances active-site accessibility and tunes the electronic environment. Structural and compositional analyses, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), confirm that Ni<sub>5</sub>In<sub>3</sub>-Fc/NF possesses a 3D porous nanoflower morphology, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals electronic interactions between Ni and In. Electrochemical tests show that the catalyst achieves 76% CH<sub>4</sub> Faradaic efficiency at -0.8 V versus RHE and suppresses H<sub>2</sub> evolution. Ni<sub>5</sub>In<sub>3</sub>-Fc/NF maintains stability and CH<sub>4</sub> selectivity over 16 000 s of electrolysis. Density-functional theory (DFT) indicates that the bimetallic interface reduces the energy barrier for the rate-limiting *CO formation step, thereby accelerating the CO<sub>2</sub>-to-CH<sub>4</sub> pathway. This study presents a synergistic strategy integrating dual-metal interaction and structural precision to enhance performance and durability in CO<sub>2</sub> electroreduction, offering insights into the rational design of high-performance MOF catalysts.

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Journal
Small
Published
2025-10-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202508771
Citations
2
Primary Topic
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.73
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article

Ferrocene‐Engineered Bimetallic MOF Nanoflowers Boost Selective CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Electrocatalysis via Dual‐Metal Synergy and Structural Precision

Shuyan Fan, Cui‐Juan Wang, Zhu Gao, Wenyue Gao et al.
2 citations
Small
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
0.73
article

Ferrocene‐Engineered Bimetallic MOF Nanoflowers Boost Selective CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Electrocatalysis via Dual‐Metal Synergy and Structural Precision

Shuyan Fan, Cui‐Juan Wang, Zhu Gao, Wenyue Gao, Yanchao Xu, Yudong Xia
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction to methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) is a promising route for sustainable energy conversion and carbon neutrality. However, limited control over intermediates and competition from the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) restrict selectivity and efficiency. To address these challenges, a ferrocene-based bimetallic metal-organic framework MOF catalyst (Ni<sub>x</sub>In<sub>y</sub>-Fc/NF) with a hierarchical nanoflower architecture is developed, where dual-metal synergy modulates the electronic structure at active sites. Incorporating redox-active ferrocene units and optimizing the Ni/In ratio enhances active-site accessibility and tunes the electronic environment. Structural and compositional analyses, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), confirm that Ni<sub>5</sub>In<sub>3</sub>-Fc/NF possesses a 3D porous nanoflower morphology, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals electronic interactions between Ni and In. Electrochemical tests show that the catalyst achieves 76% CH<sub>4</sub> Faradaic efficiency at -0.8 V versus RHE and suppresses H<sub>2</sub> evolution. Ni<sub>5</sub>In<sub>3</sub>-Fc/NF maintains stability and CH<sub>4</sub> selectivity over 16 000 s of electrolysis. Density-functional theory (DFT) indicates that the bimetallic interface reduces the energy barrier for the rate-limiting *CO formation step, thereby accelerating the CO<sub>2</sub>-to-CH<sub>4</sub> pathway. This study presents a synergistic strategy integrating dual-metal interaction and structural precision to enhance performance and durability in CO<sub>2</sub> electroreduction, offering insights into the rational design of high-performance MOF catalysts.

SmallVol. 21(49)
Southwest Jiaotong University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 27%
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
0.73
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