Mechanism of CO2 Reduction at Copper Surfaces: Pathways to C2 Products

On the basis of constraints from reported experimental observations and density functional theory simulations, we propose a mechanism for the reduction of CO2 to C-2 products on copper electrodes. To model the effects of an applied potential bias on the reactions, calculations are carried out with a variable, fractional number of electrons on the unit cell, which is optimized so that the Fermi level matches the actual chemical potential of electrons (i.e., the applied bias); an implicit electrolyte model allows for compensation of the surface charge so that neutrality is maintained in the overall simulation cell. Our mechanism explains the presence of the seven C-2 species that have been detected in the reaction, as well as other notable experimental observations. Furthermore, our results shed light on the difference in activities toward C-2 products between the (100) and (111) facets of copper. We compare our methodologies and findings with those in other recent mechanistic studies of the copper-catalyzed CO2 reduction reaction.