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The rates of many electrocatalytic reactions can be strongly affected by the structure and dynamics of the electrochemical double layer, which in turn can be tuned by the concentration and identity of the supporting electrolyte’s cation. The effect of cations on an electrocatalytic process depends on a complex interplay between electrolyte components, electrode material and surface structure, applied electrode potential, and reaction intermediates. Although cation effects remain insufficiently understood, the principal mechanisms underlying cation-dependent reactivity and selectivity are beginning to emerge. In this Perspective, we summarize and critically examine recent advances in this area in the context of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and CO2-to-CO conversion, which are among the most intensively studied and promising electrocatalytic reactions for the sustainable production of commodity chemicals and fuels. Improving the kinetics of the HER in base and enabling energetically efficient and selective CO2 reduction at low pH are key challenges in electrocatalysis. The physical insights from the recent literature illustrate how cation effects can be utilized to help achieve these goals and to steer other electrocatalytic processes of technological relevance.
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This content will become publicly available on November 13, 2025
Prediction of Potential-Dependent Kinetics for the Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO 2 to CO over Ti@4N-Gr
Grand canonical density functional theory (GC-DFT) was employed to model the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 (CO2R) to CO by single titanium atom nitrogen-doped graphene, referred to as Ti@4N-Gr. Previous GC-DFT thermodynamic investigations have identified Ti@4N-Gr as a promising CO2R catalyst; however, no in-depth studies have examined it. In this study, we analyze activation energies of the elementary steps at various applied potentials in addition to thermodynamics of CO2R to CO catalyzed by Ti@xN-Gr defects. Reaction intermediates are predicted to be destabilized when Ti is coordinated to fewer N atoms. Based on reaction thermodynamics, Ti@4N-Gr and all defect configurations are predicted to be potentially promising catalysts for CO2R to CO at an applied potential of −0.7 VSHE while at −0.3 and −1.2 VSHE the reaction is predicted to be hindered by relatively large grand free energy differences between intermediates. We propose a criterion to identify optimum applied potentials for CO2R to CO based on the potential of zero charge (PZC) of the reaction intermediates and the contention that the optimum applied potential for CO2R to CO lies in the range PZC∗CO<𝑉
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- Award ID(s):
- 2016225
- PAR ID:
- 10567703
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Chemical Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- ACS Electrochemistry
- ISSN:
- 2997-0571
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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