Hollow Copper Nanocubes Promoting CO2 Electroreduction to Multicarbon Products

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) to multicarbon (C2+) compounds holds great potential for achieving carbon neutrality and storing intermittent renewable energy. The formation of carbon- carbon (C-C) bonds, affected by the concentration of *CO intermediates on the surface of catalysts, is critical to facilitate the production of C2 species. Here, a novel method to prepare uniform hollow oxide-derived copper crystals is reported, reducing CO2 to C2 products (ethylene and ethanol) with an outstanding Faradaic efficiency of 71.1% in 0.1 M KHCO3. The degree of hollowness shows a positive tendency to C2 selectivity but negative to H2 and C1 selectivity. In situ surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy indicates that hollow structures enhance localized *CO concentration, boosting C-C coupling for producing C2 products. This provides a feasible strategy to enrich important intermediates to deeper reduction products through catalyst structure engineering.

Automated summary

A novel method to prepare uniform hollow oxide-derived copper crystals is reported, which can reduce CO2 to C2 products (ethylene and ethanol). The degree of hollowness affects C2 selectivity and can be used to enrich important intermediates for deeper reduction products.