Catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction and associated methods
AssigneesThe Governing Council of the University of Toronto, Total SA
InventorsMiao Zhong, Chuanhao Wang, Yimeng Min, Alexander Ip, Edward Sargent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an electrocatalyst for reduction of CO2 to produce multi-carbon compounds, comprising a multi-metal material comprising a primary metal being copper and at least one enhancer metal selected from germanium, gallium, tin, silicon, silver, gold, zinc and aluminium. The invention also relates to a process for electrochemical production of a multi-carbon compound from CO2 using such an electrocatalyst.
Claims20
An electrocatalyst for reduction of CO2 to produce multi-carbon compounds, wherein the electrocatalyst comprises a multi-metal material comprising a primary metal being copper and at least one enhancer metal being aluminum, so the electrocatalyst comprises a multi-metal Cu—Al material being formed, as a catalytic layer and comprises a surface region having a thickness between 1 nm and 3 nm as determined by Auger electron spectroscopy, and in that at least the surface region is nanoporous and comprises an Al content of 3 wt % to 30 wt % and a Cu content of 70 wt % to 97 wt %.
A method of manufacturing an electrocatalyst for reduction of CO2 to produce multi-carbon compounds, the method comprising:
- a multi-metal material comprising Cu and Al;
- and
- subjecting the multi-metal material to chemical etching to remove a portion of the Al from a surface region of the multi-metal material to produce a de-alloyed Cu—Al material.
A method of manufacturing an electrocatalyst for reduction of CO2 to produce multi-carbon compounds, the method comprising ion-implanting Al into Cu, wherein the electrocatalyst comprises a multi-metal material comprising a primary metal being copper and at least one enhancer metal being aluminum, so the electrocatalyst comprises a multi-metal Cu—Al material being formed as a catalytic layer and comprises a surface region having a thickness between 1 nm and 3 nm, as determined by Auger electron spectroscopy, and in that at least the surface region is nanoporous and comprises an Al content of 3 wt % to 30 wt % and a Cu content of 70 wt % to 97 wt %.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.