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

职业：二氧化碳催化碳氢化合物形成的表面反应性控制科学研究预测，将二氧化碳转化为燃料和化学原料，或直接将其用作溶剂，每年有可能减少二氧化碳(CO2)排放40亿吨。电化学合成是最有前景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，而不会造成重大破坏。经济上相关的电催化剂有一定的要求才能有效。它必须具有高电流密度、低比电耗、高选择性和持久的电极寿命。目前，没有一种用于二氧化碳转化的电催化剂能满足所有这些要求。本项目正在研究的精心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活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在俄亥俄州立大学(OSU)现有基础设施的基础上进行的一系列教育和推广工作。作为俄亥俄州立大学增强学习研究体验(REEL)计划的一部分，正在开发一个电催化方面的研究密集型本科实验室模块。Co教授和她的团队成员还参与了外联活动，以增加未被充分代表的群体对科学的兴趣，并通过俄亥俄州立大学的蒸汽工厂吸引公众参与。通过这一奖项，化学系化学催化计划资助俄亥俄州立大学的Anne Co博士进行二氧化碳电化学转化为碳氢化合物的系统研究。一系列高度受控的表面，旨在促进特定中间体的吸附，正在通过应变铜单分子层和多孔铜基双金属薄膜的欠电位沉积而产生，其设计旨在促进C-H和C-C键的选择性形成。电化学和原位光谱测量相结合，并辅之以理论模型，用来解释电化学反应条件下活性中心周围的机理和化学环境。从本项目中对表面结构和反应性关系的研究中获得的知识直接影响到对表面电催化过程的总体理解，以及对二氧化碳电还原的具体反应的理解。

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.