Atomically Isolated Cd Sites Boosting CO Electroreduction to C <sub>2+</sub> Alcohols at Ampere‐Level Current Densities

Herein, two Cu-based model electrocatalysts, Cu nanosheets modified with Cd single atoms (Cd-SACs@Cu NS) and unmodified Cu nanosheets (Cu NS), were rationally designed to investigate the C-C coupling to C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols mechanisms in CORR. Compared to Cu NS, Cd-SACs@Cu NS exhibits a significantly enhanced Faradaic efficiency (FE) for C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols of nearly 70% at an unprecedented current density of 1100 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> and maintains a higher FE (>50%) over a broad range of current densities (100-2100 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>) under alkaline conditions in a flow cell. In situ characterizations and theoretical studies reveal that the enhanced selectivity toward C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols on Cd-SACs@Cu NS is attributed to the improved H<sub>2</sub>O dissociation at atomically dispersed Cd sites and enhanced CO adsorption on the paired Cu atoms adjacent to single Cd atoms. These effects synergistically facilitate the spillover of hydrogen atoms from Cd to Cu sites, thereby promoting the protonation at the β-carbon of *CH<sub>2</sub>CHO, which leads to the selective formation of C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols. In contrast, the unmodified Cu NS is prone to promoting the cleavage of the C─O bond, thereby facilitating the generation of C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Published
2025-12-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202524324
Primary Topic
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Atomically Isolated Cd Sites Boosting CO Electroreduction to C 2+ Alcohols at Ampere‐Level Current Densities

Jie Yang, Y. Z. Zhang, Junjie Mao, Changgeng Wei et al.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
article

Atomically Isolated Cd Sites Boosting CO Electroreduction to C 2+ Alcohols at Ampere‐Level Current Densities

Jie Yang, Y. Z. Zhang, Junjie Mao, Changgeng Wei, Bin Nan, Thomas Frauenheim
article en

Abstract

Herein, two Cu-based model electrocatalysts, Cu nanosheets modified with Cd single atoms (Cd-SACs@Cu NS) and unmodified Cu nanosheets (Cu NS), were rationally designed to investigate the C-C coupling to C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols mechanisms in CORR. Compared to Cu NS, Cd-SACs@Cu NS exhibits a significantly enhanced Faradaic efficiency (FE) for C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols of nearly 70% at an unprecedented current density of 1100 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> and maintains a higher FE (>50%) over a broad range of current densities (100-2100 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>) under alkaline conditions in a flow cell. In situ characterizations and theoretical studies reveal that the enhanced selectivity toward C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols on Cd-SACs@Cu NS is attributed to the improved H<sub>2</sub>O dissociation at atomically dispersed Cd sites and enhanced CO adsorption on the paired Cu atoms adjacent to single Cd atoms. These effects synergistically facilitate the spillover of hydrogen atoms from Cd to Cu sites, thereby promoting the protonation at the β-carbon of *CH<sub>2</sub>CHO, which leads to the selective formation of C<sub>2+</sub> alcohols. In contrast, the unmodified Cu NS is prone to promoting the cleavage of the C─O bond, thereby facilitating the generation of C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>.

Angewandte Chemie International EditionVol. 65(6)
University of Bremen (DE), Constructor University (DE), Institute for Applied Systems Technology Bremen (DE), Shanghai Advanced Research Institute (CN), Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (CN), Chengdu University (CN), Institute for Advanced Study (DE), Anhui Normal University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 53%
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.