Enriching Reaction Intermediates in Multishell Structured Copper Catalysts for Boosted Propanol Electrosynthesis from Carbon Monoxide

Fine-tuned catalysts that alter the diffusion kinetics of reaction intermediates is of great importance for achieving high-performance multicarbon (C2+) product gen-eration in carbon monoxide (CO) reduction. Herein, we conduct a structural design based on Cu2O nanoparticles and present an effective strategy for enhancing propanol electro-synthesis from CO. The electrochemical characterization, operando Raman monitoring, and finite-element method simulations reveal that the multishell structured catalyst can realize the enrichment of C1 and C2 intermediates by nanoconfinement space, leading to the possibility of further coupling. Consequently, the multishell copper catalyst realizes a high Faraday efficiency of 22.22 +/- 0.38% toward propanol at the current density of 50 mA cm-2.

Automated summary

This study presents an effective strategy for enhancing propanol electro-synthesis from carbon monoxide (CO) reduction through a structural design of Cu2O nanoparticles. The multishell structured catalyst enriches C1 and C2 intermediates by nanoconfinement space, allowing for further coupling and achieving a high Faraday efficiency of 22.22 +/- 0.38% toward propanol at a current density of 50 mA cm-2.