Modulation Strategies of Cu-Based Electrocatalysts for Enhancing Electrocatalytic CO2 Conversion

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ into high-value multi-carbon products represents a crucial pathway toward achieving carbon neutrality and sustainable chemical production. The transition from lab-scale studies to industrial-scale implementation is imperative to bridge the gap between fundamental mechanistic insights and practical applications.

This book explores the mechanistic understanding and functional design of electrocatalysts for CO₂ electroreduction, focusing on bridging the gap between lab-scale research and industrial-scale implementation. It systematically investigates the role of grain boundary structures, oxidation states, and interfacial microenvironments in stabilizing Cu-based catalysts, thereby enhancing the selective production of multi-carbon products. By integrating oxidation and alloying strategies, this work introduces new approaches to modulate copper oxidation states, leading to improved catalytic performance. Advanced characterization techniques, including in situ multimodal spectroscopy, provide insights into the electrochemical stability of Cu^δ⁺ species and their impact on reaction pathways.

Beyond catalyst design, this book extends the discussion to CO₂ electrolyzer configurations, emphasizing membrane electrode assemblies and gas diffusion electrode engineering for scalable applications. The introduction of functionalized carbon black to modulate the interfacial environment, effectively suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction, stabilizing active Cu^δ⁺ species and promoting ethylene production with high Faradaic efficiency.

By integrating fundamental insights with industrial feasibility, this book offers a comprehensive guide for researchers and engineers developing next-generation CO₂ electrolysis technologies, contributing to carbon-neutral chemical manufacturing and sustainable energy solutions.

Lei Wang is a PhD student at the University of Waterloo, Canada. He received his BSc and MSc degrees from Hefei University of Technology, China, and University of Science and Technology of China, China, respectively. Lei's research interests are in design and optimization of membrane electrode assembly reactors for industrial-grade applications.

Dr. Zhongchao Tan is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He is a Founding Chair Professor and Vice Provost & Dean of Academic Affairs at the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, China. He received his BSc and MSc degrees from Tsinghua University, Beijing, and PhD from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA in 2004. He was the founding Executive Director of Tsinghua-Waterloo Joint Research Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies, and the Associate Dean (International) of Waterloo Engineering. In addition, Tan has provided dedicated services to several professional societies, including the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering, Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering, International Association for Green Energy, Standard Council Canada/ISO, and the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Dr. Yimin Wu is the inaugural Tang Family Chair in New Energy Materials and Sustainability and a professor at the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Canada. Professor Wu’s research focuses on the design of new energy materials for solar fuels and batteries, and novel electronic, photonic, responsive materials for flexible electronics and soft robotics, and energy efficient neuromorphic computing through a deep understanding of energy transduction processes at interfaces. Dr Wu is the director of the Materials Interfaces Foundry (MIF) at the University of Waterloo and serves on the board of directors of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology and serves on the editorial board of the journal Energy and Environmental Materials. Dr Wu has authored and co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers, which includes Nature, Nature Energy, Nature communications, and Advanced Materials. He is listed as an inventor on 7 US/international patents and has delivered over 40 invited lectures across the world in last 5 years.