Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FOTOCER (Flooding-tolerant C2-selective CO2 reduction electrode based on hydrophobic Cu-W tandem electrocatalyst)
Reporting period: 2023-11-15 to 2025-11-14
FOTOCER addressed three interconnected research questions aimed at advancing cost-effective electrocatalytic CO2 conversion: (1) investigating tungsten-based materials (W2C/W) as earth-abundant alternatives to noble metal co-catalysts for enhanced CO2 activation, (2) developing hierarchical Cu@W nanocone structures to achieve tandem catalytic effects through optimized CO* spillover and C-C coupling, and (3) engineering hydrophobic nanocone morphologies for flooding-tolerant gas diffusion electrodes enabling stable long-term operation. The project addressed critical challenges including the limited selectivity of copper catalysts, the high cost of noble metals, and electrode degradation through electrolyte flooding, with the hierarchical nanocone design simultaneously enhancing catalytic activity through increased surface area and improving hydrophobicity for stable device-level performance in CO2 reduction application.
FOTOCER successfully developed hierarchical Cu-W nanocone electrocatalysts through pulse electrodeposition on metallic foam substrates for sustainable energy conversion applications. The research strategically focused on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers while maintaining parallel CO2 reduction studies. Key achievements include: (1) exceptional HER performance competitive with platinum-based catalysts using only earth-abundant materials, (2) validation of flooding-tolerant gas diffusion electrode design through hydrophobic nanocone morphology enabling stable long-term operation (>100 hours), (3) comprehensive materials characterization establishing structure-property-performance relationships via XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy, (4) complete AEM water electrolyzer device fabrication and testing under industrially relevant conditions, and (5) development of autonomous proficiency in advanced characterization techniques (GC, HPLC, Raman, XRD). Two high-impact manuscripts documenting these outcomes are in preparation for submission in 2026.
FOTOCER delivered hierarchical Cu-W nanocone electrocatalysts demonstrating exceptional hydrogen evolution performance competitive with platinum-based catalysts (>100-hour stability, industrially relevant current densities) and validated flooding-tolerant gas diffusion electrode design, with potential impacts including significant cost reduction in water electrolyzer manufacturing (contributing to the $12-17 billion green hydrogen market by 2030)