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.

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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
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article

Stable CO 2 electroreduction to CH 4 at an engineering‐relevant scale enabled by confined Cu nanoclusters

Mengxia Ji, Zhaolong Wang, Jinman Yang, Siyu Yi et al.
AIChE Journal
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
article

Stable CO 2 electroreduction to CH 4 at an engineering‐relevant scale enabled by confined Cu nanoclusters

Mengxia Ji, Zhaolong Wang, Jinman Yang, Siyu Yi, Xingwang Zhu, Hui Xu, Zhao Mo, Tao Wang, Xiaojie She, Jianjian Yi
article en

Abstract

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.

AIChE Journal
Jiangsu University (CN), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK), Sehenstar Energy Technology (China) (CN), Suzhou Research Institute (CN), Yangzhou University (CN)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 34%
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
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