A Structure‐Defined Cu(I) Dual‐Atom Catalyst with a Cu <sub>2</sub> N <sub>6</sub> Motif in a Metal‐Organic Framework for CO Electroreduction
Abstract The electroreduction of carbon monoxide (CO) provides a sustainable pathway to valuable multi‐carbon (C 2+ ) products, contributing to carbon neutrality. Enhancing coupling efficiency and selectivity for C 2+ formation hinges on precise control of the spatial arrangement of catalytic sites where CO molecules adsorb. Here, we introduce a structurally well‐defined Cu(I) dual‐atom catalyst (DAC) embedded in a metal‐organic framework (MOF) that is synthesized via a thermal transformation. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (SCD) reveals Cu 2 N 6 motifs with a Cu–Cu distance of 3.6 Å, stabilized by tetrazolate within a 2D layer, ensuring CO accessibility and efficient coupling. The catalyst achieves a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 72% for C 2+ products at a partial current density of −430 mA cm −2 , and a maximum C 2+ FE of 86% at a total current density of −200 mA cm −2 . In situ spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the paired Cu nodes stabilize key C 2 intermediates via distinct binding configurations, underpinning the system's exceptional performance.
Authors
- Wooyul Kim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8130-5441)
- Sujee Cho
- Hoi Ri Moon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6967-894X)
- Sojung Park (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4315-9102)
- Mu‐Jeng Cheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8121-0485)
- Wonyoung Choe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0957-1187)
- Youngkook Kwon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9141-5997)
- Wei‐Sen Chen
- Eunji Jin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2103-6526)
- Namgyoo Park
- Jonghoon Park (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0971-3002)
- Jae Hwa Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8653-7436)
Institutions
- Ewha Womans University (KR)
- Korea Energy Economics Institute (KR)
- Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology (KR)
- Korea Institute of Energy Research (KR)
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (KR)
- National Cheng Kung University (TW)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie
- Published
- 2025-12-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202522583
- Primary Topic
- CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00