Liquid multi-carbon alcohols such as ethanol and n-propanol are desired as renewable transportation fuels. They offer high energy densities, ease of long-range transport, and direct drop-in usage in existing internal combustion engines. Engineering catalysts that favor high-value alcohols is desired.

A research group led by Prof. YU Shuhong from University of Science and Technology of China of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Edward H. Sargent from University of Toronto uncovered a catalysis strategy intermediates during CO₂ electrochemical reduction reaction, which sheds new lights on upgrading CO₂ to engine fuels. The study was published in Nature Catalysis.

When it comes to designing catalysts for CO₂ conversion, many studies on the C-C coupling step have been done, while little attention has been paid to post-C-C coupling reaction.

By deliberately incorporating sulfur atoms into the catalyst core and copper vacancies in its shell, researchers realized Cu₂S-Cu-V core-shell nanoparticles that enhance CO₂ reduction to ethanol and propanol.

This new kind of catalyst focuses on the post-C-C coupling step during the reaction. Structural characterization, x-ray studies, and electrochemical measurements were utilized to illustrate how good this catalyst is in improving catalytic performance.

This discovery will inspire the design of efficient catalysts that produce higher-carbon liquid alcohols. In addition, it may address the need for long-term storage of renewable electricity and decarbonization of the transportation sector via electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to chemical feedstocks.

Core/shell-vacancy engineering (CSVE) catalyst enables efficiently electrochemically reducing CO₂ to multi-carbon alcohols. (Image by ZHUANG Taotao)