Fig. 4: The DFT-based energy barriers of the optimized TeN3–CuN3, TeN3 and CuN4 catalyst models.

The differential of atomic structure (upper) and corresponding electron density (bottom) for TeN2–CuN3 (a), TeN3 (b), and CuN4 (c) catalysts; d from the CO2 transition to COOH*, e from the COOH* transition to CO during CO2RR, and f from the H2O transition to H* and OH* during the water dissociation process. g Calculated configurations for the conversions of CO2→COOH* and COOH*→CO (IS, initial state; TS, transition state; FS, final state) over TeN2–CuN3 DAC.