title: Metallic tin quantum sheets confined in graphene toward high-efficiency carbon dioxide electroreduction.
abstract: Ultrathin metal layers can be highly active carbon dioxide electroreduction catalysts, but may also be prone to oxidation. Here we construct a model of graphene confined ultrathin layers of highly reactive metals, taking the synthetic highly reactive tin quantum sheets confined in graphene as an example. The higher electrochemical active area ensures 9 times larger carbon dioxide adsorption capacity relative to bulk tin, while the highly-conductive graphene favours rate-determining electron transfer from carbon dioxide to its radical anion. The lowered tin-tin coordination numbers, revealed by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, enable tin quantum sheets confined in graphene to efficiently stabilize the carbon dioxide radical anion, verified by 0.13 volts lowered potential of hydroxyl ion adsorption compared with bulk tin. Hence, the tin quantum sheets confined in graphene show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability. This work may provide a promising lead for designing efficient and robust catalysts for electrolytic fuel synthesis.
authors: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science &Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors: Fengcai
authors: F
authors: Lei
authors: National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei, Anhui 230029, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Liu
authors: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science &Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.|Hefei Science Center of CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230061, China.
authors: Yongfu
authors: Y
authors: Sun
authors: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science &Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors: Jiaqi
authors: J
authors: Xu
authors: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science &Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors: Katong
authors: K
authors: Liu
authors: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science &Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Liang
authors: National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei, Anhui 230029, China.|Hefei Science Center of CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230061, China.
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Yao
authors: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science &Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors: Bicai
authors: B
authors: Pan
authors: National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China Hefei, Anhui 230029, China.|Hefei Science Center of CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230061, China.
authors: Shiqiang
authors: S
authors: Wei
authors: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, University of Science &Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.|Hefei Science Center of CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230061, China.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Xie