Interfacial design strategies for selective electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction through control of proton coupled electron transfer Xinlei Zhang University of York, UK Aqueous electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 (CO2RR) into C2+ chemicals provides an energy vector for the storage of renewable electricity and reduction in CO2 emissions. However, rate and selectivity are limited by CO2 solubility in water and parasitic hydrogen evolution. Strategies have been developed to overcome solubility using gas diffusion electrodes and modify proton activity using catalyst surface treatments. Herein we describe a new strategy to control the environment at the electrode surface by embedding the catalyst in a partially hydrophobic environment to control proton activity. A modified commercial alumina membrane (AAO) with an ordered porous structure was used to template the growth of Cu nanowires (CuNWs) of predictable length. Subsequent to growth, the membrane was functionalized with various chlorosilanes with variable hydrophobicity, which exhibit good chemical stability, with the aim to control the surface wetting ability and proton activity within the membrane. This methodology provides a platform for mechanically stabilising nanowire catalysts and controlling proton activity that are key to CO2RR selectivity and stability. References 1. Wagner, A. Nat. Catal. 3, 775–786 (2020). 2. Inguanta, R. Appl. Surf. Sci. 255, 8816–8823 (2009). 3. Wei, X. ACS Catal. 10, 4103–4111 (2020). 4. Thi, P. Adv. Energy Mater. 12, 2103663 (2022). 5. Zhuo, X. Nat. Commun. 12, 136 (2021). 6. Quansong Z. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144, 2829–2840 (2022).
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