CAREER: Control of surface reactivity for catalyzing hydrocarbon formation from CO2

职业：科学研究预测，将二氧化碳转化为燃料和化学原料，或直接用作溶剂，每年可减少40亿吨二氧化碳（CO2）排放。 电化学合成是最有前途的二氧化碳转化化学工艺之一，因为该技术可以很容易地添加到我们现有的工业基础设施中，而不会造成重大中断。 经济上相关的电催化剂具有某些有效的要求。 它必须具有高电流密度、低比耗电量、高选择性和持续的电极寿命。 目前没有用于二氧化碳转化的电催化剂满足所有这些要求。 在这个项目中，仔细设计的表面结构可以通过系统地研究表面结构和电催化反应性之间的关系来帮助理解这些催化剂的局限性。 与研究活动相结合的是一系列的教育和推广工作，建立在现有的基础设施在俄亥俄州州立大学（OSU）。 在电催化研究密集型本科实验室模块正在开发作为俄勒冈州立大学的研究经验，以提高学习（REEL）计划的一部分。 柯教授和她的小组成员还参加外展活动，以提高对科学的兴趣，并通过俄勒冈州立大学的蒸汽工厂参与公众。有了这个奖项，化学部的化学催化计划资助俄亥俄州州立大学的Anne Co博士系统地研究二氧化碳电化学转化为碳氢化合物。 一系列的高度控制的表面，旨在促进特定中间体的吸附，正在生产的应变铜单层和多孔铜为基础的纳米薄膜的欠电位沉积，在设计选择，以促进选择性形成的C-H和C-C键。 电化学和原位光谱测量的组合，辅以理论建模，被用来阐明电化学反应条件下的活性中心周围的机械路径和化学环境。 本项目中从表面结构和反应性关系的研究中获得的知识直接影响对表面电催化过程的一般理解，以及CO2电还原的具体反应。

CAREER: Control of Surface Reactivity for Catalyzing Hydrocarbon Formation from CO2 Scientific studies have predicted that converting carbon dioxide to fuels and chemical feedstocks, or using them directly as solvents, has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emission by 4,000,000,000 tons per year. Electrochemical synthesis is amongst the most promising chemical process for CO2 conversion, since the technology can be readily added to our existing industrial infrastructure without major disruptions. An economically-relevant electrocatalyst has certain requirements to be effective. It must possess high current densities, low specific electricity consumption, high selectivity, and a sustained electrode lifetime. Currently no electrocatalyst for carbon dioxide conversion meets all of these requirements. The carefully designed surface structures under investigation in this the project can help understand these catalyst limitations through a systematic investigation of the relationship between the surface structure and the electrocatalytic reactivity. Integrated with the research activities are a series of educational and outreach efforts that build upon existing infrastructure at The Ohio State University (OSU). A research-intensive undergraduate laboratory module in electrocatalysis is being developed as part of the OSU Research Experience to Enhance Learning (REEL) program. Professor Co and members of her group also participate in outreach activities to increase interest of underrepresented groups in science and to engage the public through OSU's STEAM Factory.With this award, the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division is funding Dr. Anne Co of The Ohio State University in the systematic investigation of the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons. A series of highly-controlled surfaces, designed to promote adsorption of specific intermediates, are being produced by underpotential deposition of strained copper monolayers and by porous copper-based bimetallic films, in designs chosen to facilitate the selective formation of C-H and C-C bonds. A combination of electrochemical and in situ spectroscopic measurements, complemented by theoretical modelling, are used to elucidate the mechanistic pathways and the chemical environments around the active center under electrochemical reaction conditions. The knowledge gained from the investigation of surface structure and reactivity relationships in this project has direct impact on the general understanding of surface electrocatalytic processes, and in the specific reaction of CO2 electroreduction.