Carbon‐Supported Nano‐Dispersed Metallic Copper Derived From Carbonization of MOF‐199 for Electrocatalytic CO₂ Reduction

Abstract

Abstract CO 2 emissions and accumulation in the ecosystem have exacerbated climate change and increased the global temperature. This study focused on the activation of hydrothermally synthesized Cu metal–organic framework (MOF‐199) with potassium citrate (C 6 H 5 K 3 O 7 ) to produce MOF‐derived carbon incorporated with nano‐dispersed metallic Cu and oxidative Cu species to facilitate electrochemical CO 2 reduction. Among all MOF samples, the resulting MOF‐derived carbon, activated by C 6 H 5 K 3 O 7 , demonstrated the highest electrocatalytic current and lowest charge transfer resistance, achieving a Faradaic efficiency exceeding 50% for the production of acetic acid (CH 3 COOH) at an applied potential of − 1.1 V (vs RHE). The addition of C 6 H 5 K 3 O 7 during preparation endowed the MOF‐derived C with a mesoporous structure, thereby enhancing CO 2 adsorption and activation. A proposed reaction pathway suggested that the generation of nano‐dispersed metallic Cu is critical for forming Cu─C bonds for producing CH 3 COOH. This study indicates that Cu‐containing MOF‐derived carbon with beneficial properties for electrocatalytic applications owing to its nanoispersed Cu features could be readily synthesized.