Synergy of Cu/C3N4 Interface and Cu Nanoparticles Dual Catalytic Regions in Electrolysis of CO to Acetic Acid

Electrochemical reduction reaction of carbon monoxide (CORR) offers a promising way to manufacture acetic acid directly from gaseous CO and water at mild condition. Herein, we discovered that the graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) supported Cu nanoparticles (Cu-CN) with the appropriate size showed a high acetate faradaic efficiency of 62.8 % with a partial current density of 188 mA cm(-2) in CORR. In situ experimental and density functional theory calculation studies revealed that the Cu/C3N4 interface and metallic Cu surface synergistically promoted CORR into acetic acid. The generation of pivotal intermediate -*CHO is advantage around the Cu/C3N4 interface and migrated *CHO facilitates acetic acid generation on metallic Cu surface with promoted *CHO coverage. Moreover, continuous production of acetic acid aqueous solution was achieved in a porous solid electrolyte reactor, indicating the great potential of Cu-CN catalyst in the industrial application.

Automated summary

It was discovered that Cu nanoparticles supported on graphitic carbon nitride (Cu-CN) with the appropriate size exhibited a high acetate faradaic efficiency of 62.8% and a partial current density of 188 mA cm(-2) in the electrochemical reduction of CO to acetic acid. Experimental and theoretical studies revealed that the Cu/C3N4 interface and metallic Cu surface synergistically promoted the conversion of CO to acetic acid. The continuous production of acetic acid in a porous solid electrolyte reactor further demonstrated the potential of Cu-CN catalyst in industrial applications.