Highly efficient electroconversion of carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons by cathodized copper–organic frameworks

Abstract

Highly selective conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into valuable hydrocarbons is promising yet challenging in developing effective electrocatalysts. Herein, Cu^II/adeninato/carboxylato metal–biomolecule frameworks (Cu^II/ade-MOFs) are employed for efficient CO₂ electro-conversion towards hydrocarbon generation. The cathodized Cu^II/ade-MOF nanosheets demonstrate excellent catalytic performance for CO₂ conversion into valuable hydrocarbons with a total hydrocarbon faradaic efficiency (FE) of over 73%. Ethylene (C₂H₄) is produced with a maximum FE of 45% and a current density of 8.5 mA cm⁻² at −1.4 V vs. RHE, while methane (CH₄) is produced with a FE of 50% and current density of ∼15 mA cm⁻² at −1.6 V vs. RHE. These investigations reveal that the reconstruction of cathodized Cu^II/ade-MOFs and the formed Cu nanoparticles functionalized by nitrogen-containing ligands contribute to the excellent CO₂ conversion performance. Furthermore, this work would provide valuable insights and opportunities for the rational design of Cu-based MOF catalysts for highly efficient conversion of CO₂ towards hydrocarbon generation.