Single Sb sites for efficient electrochemical CO reduction.

We report for the first time the facile synthesis of Sb single atoms supported on N-doped porous carbon. As compared to bulk Sb, Sb2O3, and Sb nanoparticles, that exhibit poor electrocatalytic CO2 reduction activity, the as-prepared Sb atomic sites enable efficient aqueous electroreduction of CO2 to CO with a high CO turnover frequency exceeding 16 500 h-1 at -0.9 V (versus the reversible hydrogen electrode), outperforming many other single atom electrocatalysts reported thus far.

Carbon-supported Ni nanoparticles for efficient CO electroreduction.

The development of highly selective, low cost, and energy-efficient electrocatalysts is crucial for CO electrocatalysis to mitigate energy shortages and to lower the global carbon footprint. Herein, we first report that carbon-coated Ni nanoparticles supported on N-doped carbon enable efficient electroreduction of CO to CO. In contrast to most previously reported Ni metal catalysts that resulted in severe hydrogen evolution during CO conversion, the Ni particle catalyst here presents an unprecedented CO faradaic efficiency of approximately 94% at an overpotential of 0.

Heterogeneous electrochemical CO reduction using nonmetallic carbon-based catalysts: current status and future challenges.

Electrochemical CO reduction (ECR) offers an important pathway for renewable energy storage and fuels production. It still remains a challenge in designing highly selective, energy-efficient, robust, and cost-effective electrocatalysts to facilitate this kinetically slow process. Metal-free carbon-based materials have features of low cost, good electrical conductivity, renewability, diverse structure, and tunability in surface chemistry.