TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of carbon supports on the electrocatalytic performance of Ni-N-C catalysts for CO2 reduction to CO
AU - Fu, Shilong
AU - Izelaar, Boaz
AU - Li, Ming
AU - An, Qi
AU - Li, Min
AU - de Jong, Wiebren
AU - Kortlever, Ruud
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Carbon-supported nickel and nitrogen co-doped (Ni-N-C) catalysts have been extensively studied as selective and active catalysts for CO2 electroreduction to CO. Most studies have focused on adjusting the coordination structure of Ni-Nx active sites, while the impact of the carbon supports has often been overlooked. In this study, a series of Ni-N-C catalysts on different carbon supports, including carbon black (CB), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT), and activated nitrogen-doped biochar (ANBC), were synthesized using a ligand-mediated method. The effect of the carbon support on the electrocatalytic performance for CO2 reduction was investigated at both low current densities, in a H-cell, and high current densities, in a MEA electrolyzer. All of the prepared Ni-N-C catalysts show good faradaic efficiencies (FE) toward CO production (up to ∼90 %), however, the onset potentials and partial current densities for CO production vary greatly. The textural properties of the carbon support and the distribution of Ni-Nx active sites on the carbon support are demonstrated as the main factors behind the performance differences. In particular, hierarchical porous structures with a large specific surface area are helpful to facilitate mass transport and improve the dispersion of active sites, which allows for a better CO2 reduction performance of Ni-N-ANBC compared to Ni-N-CB and Ni-N-CNT. This study demonstrates the importance of the carbon support for Ni-N-C catalysts and provides new insights into the design of efficient Ni-N-C catalysts for the CO2RR.
AB - Carbon-supported nickel and nitrogen co-doped (Ni-N-C) catalysts have been extensively studied as selective and active catalysts for CO2 electroreduction to CO. Most studies have focused on adjusting the coordination structure of Ni-Nx active sites, while the impact of the carbon supports has often been overlooked. In this study, a series of Ni-N-C catalysts on different carbon supports, including carbon black (CB), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT), and activated nitrogen-doped biochar (ANBC), were synthesized using a ligand-mediated method. The effect of the carbon support on the electrocatalytic performance for CO2 reduction was investigated at both low current densities, in a H-cell, and high current densities, in a MEA electrolyzer. All of the prepared Ni-N-C catalysts show good faradaic efficiencies (FE) toward CO production (up to ∼90 %), however, the onset potentials and partial current densities for CO production vary greatly. The textural properties of the carbon support and the distribution of Ni-Nx active sites on the carbon support are demonstrated as the main factors behind the performance differences. In particular, hierarchical porous structures with a large specific surface area are helpful to facilitate mass transport and improve the dispersion of active sites, which allows for a better CO2 reduction performance of Ni-N-ANBC compared to Ni-N-CB and Ni-N-CNT. This study demonstrates the importance of the carbon support for Ni-N-C catalysts and provides new insights into the design of efficient Ni-N-C catalysts for the CO2RR.
KW - Carbon-based catalysts
KW - Electrocatalysis
KW - Electrochemical CO2 reduction
KW - Nickel-nitrogen-carbon catalysts
KW - Structure-performance correlations
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208913789&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.nanoen.2024.110461
DO - 10.1016/j.nanoen.2024.110461
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85208913789
SN - 2211-2855
VL - 133
JO - Nano Energy
JF - Nano Energy
M1 - 110461
ER -