Stable <scp> CO <sub>2</sub> </scp> electroreduction to <scp> CH <sub>4</sub> </scp> at an engineering‐relevant scale enabled by confined Cu nanoclusters
Abstract Electrocatalytic CO 2 methanation is a promising strategy for renewable energy storage but remains limited by low selectivity and insufficient stability under industrially relevant conditions. Here, a confined Cu atom‐cluster catalyst anchored on a nitrogen‐rich carbon framework (Cu AC/NC) is reported, synthesized via a scalable supramolecular precursor strategy that precisely controls Cu aggregation at the atomic‐cluster scale. In a flow‐cell configuration, Cu AC/NC achieves a CH 4 Faradaic efficiency of ~70% with a partial current density of 316.1 mA cm −2 . In situ spectroscopic analyses reveal that cluster confinement tailors the local reaction microenvironment, facilitating *CO protonation and deep hydrogenation of CO 2 . Deactivation mechanisms in alkaline and acidic electrolytes, as well as under pulsed electrolysis, are systematically examined. By balancing activity and stability, a pure‐H 2 O‐fed system is identified, enabling stable, carbonate‐free operation in scalable membrane electrode assemblies while sustaining methane production at engineering‐relevant current density.
Authors
- Mengxia Ji (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4434-3796)
- Zhaolong Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4828-6493)
- Jinman Yang
- Siyu Yi
- Xingwang Zhu
- Hui Xu
- Zhao Mo
- Tao Wang
- Xiaojie She
- Jianjian Yi
Institutions
- Jiangsu University (CN)
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK)
- Sehenstar Energy Technology (China) (CN)
- Suzhou Research Institute (CN)
- Yangzhou University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- AIChE Journal
- Published
- 2026-03-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.70330
- Primary Topic
- CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00