Tuning Cu–Cu Spacing in Single‐Atomic Layer Cu Catalysts for Efficient and Stable CO <sub>2</sub> ‐To‐C <sub>2</sub> H <sub>4</sub> Electroreduction
The transition to sustainable energy relies on the efficient conversion of CO<sub>2</sub> into specific multi-carbon (C<sub>2+</sub>) products, yet this process is severely hindered by the slow kinetics of C─C coupling and uncertain product selectivity. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit promising catalytic performance but suffer from a fundamental limitation: their lack of contiguous active sites impedes C─C coupling. Herein, we report an innovative isotropic 2D Cu single-atomic-layer catalyst anchored on amorphous carbon substrate, designed to enhance C─C coupling and C<sub>2+</sub> selectivity. By stabilizing Cu<sup>δ</sup> <sup>+</sup> species and precisely tuning the Cu-Cu spacing to 2.35 Å-matching the C─C bond length of ethylene (C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>), which significantly promotes C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub> production. The catalyst achieved a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 78.6% for C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub> at -0.8 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, accompanied with high stability over 120 h. These findings not only elucidate the profound impact of spatially controlled active sites in complex multi-step reactions but also represent a significant leap forward in CO<sub>2</sub> conversion technologies, offering great potential for sustainable carbon utilization and addressing global energy transition challenges.
Authors
- Weiyang Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8980-6005)
- Daojian Ye
- W Lei
- Kaiyou Wang
- Cailei Yuan
- Xingfang Luo
- Wenda Zhou
Institutions
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Nanchang Normal University (CN)
- Institute of Semiconductors (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Jiangxi Normal University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Materials
- Published
- 2026-01-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202522842
- Primary Topic
- CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Key Research and Development Program of China