Electrochemical Epoxidation of Propylene to Propylene Oxide via Halogen-Mediated Systems.

As one of the most important derivatives of propylene, the production of propylene oxide (PO) is severely restricted. The traditional chlorohydrin process is being eliminated due to environmental concerns, while processes such as Halcon and hydrogen peroxide epoxidation are limited by cost and efficiency, making it difficult to meet market demand. Therefore, achieving PO production through clean and efficient technologies has received extensive attention, and halogen-mediated electrochemical epoxidation of alkene is considered to be a desirable technology for the production of alkylene oxide. In this work, we used electrochemical methods to synthesize PO in halogen-mediated systems based on a RuO2-loaded Ti (RuO2/Ti) anode and screened out two potential mediated systems of chlorine (Cl) and bromine (Br) for the electrosynthesis of PO. At a current density of 100 mA·cm-2, both Cl- and Br-mediated systems delivered PO Faradaic efficiencies of more than 80%. In particular, the Br-mediated system obtained PO Faradaic efficiencies of more than 90% at lower potentials (≤1.5 V vs RHE) with better electrode structure durability. Furthermore, detailed product distribution investigations and DFT calculations suggested hypohalous acid molecules as key reaction intermediates in both Cl- and Br-mediated systems. This work presents a green and efficient PO production route with halogen-mediated electrochemical epoxidation of propylene driven by renewable electricity, exhibiting promising potential to replace the traditional chlorohydrin process.

Highly Efficient CO2 Reduction at Steady 2 A cm-2 by Surface Reconstruction of Silver Penetration Electrode.

Electroreduction of CO2 to CO is a promising route for greenhouse gas resource utilization, but it still suffers from impractical current density and poor durability. Here, a nanosheet shell (NS) vertically standing on the Ag hollow fiber (NS@Ag HF) surface formed by electrochemical surface reconstruction is reported. As-prepared NS@Ag HF as a gas penetration electrode exhibited a high CO faradaic efficiency of 97% at an ultra-high current density of 2.0 A cm-2 with a sustained performance for continuous >200 h operation. The experimental and theoretical studies reveal that promoted surface electronic structures of NS@Ag HF by the nanosheets not only suppress the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction but also facilitate the CO2 reduction kinetics. This work provides a feasible strategy for fabricating robust catalysts for highly efficient and stable CO2 reduction.

Chloride Ion Adsorption Enables Ampere-Level CO2 Electroreduction over Silver Hollow Fiber.

Electrochemical conversion of CO2 into valuable feedstocks is a promising strategy for carbon neutrality. However, it remains a challenge to possess a large current density, a high faradaic efficiency and excellent stability for practical applications of CO2 utilization. Herein, we report a facile tactic that enables exceedingly efficient CO2 electroreduction to CO by virtue of low-coordination chloride ion (Cl- ) adsorption on a silver hollow fiber (Ag HF) electrode. A CO faradaic efficiency of 92.3 % at a current density of one ampere per square centimeter (1 A cm-2 ) in 3.0 M KCl with a sustained performance observed during a 150-hour test was achieved, which is better than state-of-the-art electrocatalysts. The electrochemical results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested a low-coordination Cl- adsorption on surface of Ag HF, which not only suppressed the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but also facilitated the CO2 reduction kinetics.

Hierarchical micro/nanostructured silver hollow fiber boosts electroreduction of carbon dioxide.

Efficient conversion of CO2 to commodity chemicals by sustainable way is of great significance for achieving carbon neutrality. Although considerable progress has been made in CO2 utilization, highly efficient CO2 conversion with high space velocity under mild conditions remains a challenge. Here, we report a hierarchical micro/nanostructured silver hollow fiber electrode that reduces CO2 to CO with a faradaic efficiency of 93% and a current density of 1.26 A · cm-2 at a potential of -0.83 V vs. RHE. Exceeding 50% conversions of as high as 31,000 mL · gcat-1 · h-1 CO2 are achieved at ambient temperature and pressure. Electrochemical results and time-resolved operando Raman spectra demonstrate that enhanced three-phase interface reactions and oriented mass transfers synergistically boost CO production.