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Growing the carbon chain

Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction on Cu is typically studied at room temperature and pressure, producing mostly C₁ and C₂ products (short carbon chains). High-temperature experiments above 125 °C now reveal a carbon-chain growth mechanism akin to the thermally driven Fischer–Tropsch reaction, resulting in the production of C₁–C₅ hydrocarbons.

Boon Siang Yeo
News & Views22 Dec 2025
Nature Catalysis

Volume: 8, P: 1266-1267
Author Correction: Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO₂ reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu

Carina Yi Jing Lim
Meltem Yilmaz
Yee-Fun Lim
Amendments and CorrectionsOpen Access10 Jul 2023
Nature Communications

Volume: 14, P: 1
Controlling hydrocarbon chain growth and degree of branching in CO₂ electroreduction on fluorine-doped nickel catalysts

Ni-based CO₂ reduction electrocatalysts have been reported to produce multicarbon products up to C₆ but with limited selectivity. Here the reaction mechanism of the process is elucidated. Consequently, pulsed potential electrolysis and electrolyte deuteration are respectively employed to enhance the selectivity of branched hydrocarbons and increase the total hydrocarbon Faradaic efficiency to 22%.

Yingqing Ou
Lu Liu
Boon Siang Yeo
Research17 Jul 2025
Nature Catalysis

Volume: 8, P: 714-727
Selective electroreduction of acetylene to 1,3-butadiene on iodide-induced Cu^δ+–Cu⁰ sites

Electrifying energy-intensive processes is a promising approach for decarbonization. Now, 1,3-butadiene is electrochemically produced from acetylene on I⁻−induced Cu^δ+–Cu⁰ sites with a Faradaic efficiency of over 90% at −0.85 V_SHE and a partial current density of −75 mA cm⁻² at −1.0 V_SHE.

Wei Jie Teh
Eleonora Romeo
Boon Siang Yeo
ResearchOpen Access15 Nov 2024
Nature Catalysis

Volume: 7, P: 1382-1393
Interface confined hydrogen evolution reaction in zero valent metal nanoparticles-intercalated molybdenum disulfide

Interface confined reactions are a viable strategy for achieving stable and selective catalysts. Here, the authors demonstrate that 1T'-enriched lithiated MoS₂ can reduce metal ions in situ, forming zero valent platinum nanoparticle-intercalated MoS₂, with enhanced hydrogen evolution activity.

Zhongxin Chen
Kai Leng
Kian Ping Loh
ResearchOpen Access23 Feb 2017
Nature Communications

Volume: 8, P: 1-9
Long-chain hydrocarbons by CO₂ electroreduction using polarized nickel catalysts

Cu-based catalysts have dominated CO₂ electroreduction as a result of their unique ability to produce C₂ or C₃ products, while Ni has largely been excluded due to poisoning by intermediate CO. Here, inorganic Ni oxygenate-derived electrocatalysts with polarized Ni^𝛿+ sites can produce multicarbon products, including C₃ to C₆ hydrocarbons.

Yansong Zhou
Antonio José Martín
Boon Siang Yeo
Research20 Jun 2022
Nature Catalysis

Volume: 5, P: 545-554
Surface charge as activity descriptors for electrochemical CO₂ reduction to multi-carbon products on organic-functionalised Cu

Tuning CO₂ electrocatalysis to achieve multi-carbon products is interesting yet challenging. Here the authors report a histidine-functionalized Cu catalyst for CO₂ reduction to multi-carbon products and reveal the correlation between catalyst surface charge and catalytic performance.

Carina Yi Jing Lim
Meltem Yilmaz
Yee-Fun Lim
ResearchOpen Access20 Jan 2023
Nature Communications

Volume: 14, P: 1-11
Oxygen evolution by stabilized single Ru atoms

Good durability and activity of single Ru atom catalysts is critical for their large-scale utilization in electrochemical water splitting. Now, both of these properties can be better controlled through compressive strain engineering.

Boon Siang Yeo
News & Views11 Apr 2019
Nature Catalysis

Volume: 2, P: 284-285
The effects of currents and potentials on the selectivities of copper toward carbon dioxide electroreduction

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide provides a means to convert environmental carbon into utile products. Product selectivity factors are disputed. Here, authors examine 24 copper catalysts and show that mass transport plus the electrochemical potential window drive selectivity.

Dan Ren
Jinhuan Fong
Boon Siang Yeo
ResearchOpen Access02 Mar 2018
Nature Communications

Volume: 9, P: 1-8
Understanding heterogeneous electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction through operando techniques

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide allows recycling of the greenhouse gas to produce chemicals and fuels. In this Review, Seh and co-workers discuss the progress in operando techniques applied to heterogeneous carbon dioxide electroreduction, highlighting the mechanistic insights that these techniques have provided.

Albertus D. Handoko
Fengxia Wei
Zhi Wei Seh
Reviews10 Dec 2018
Nature Catalysis

Volume: 1, P: 922-934
NMR-based quantification of liquid products in CO₂ electroreduction on phosphate-derived nickel catalysts

Phosphate-derived nickel catalysts enable access to multicarbon products via CO₂ electroreduction, but it remains unclear how operating conditions influence product formation. Here, refined ¹H NMR spectroscopy protocols are introduced and combined with an automated NMR data processing routine, enabling quantification of carbon product formation as a function of various parameters.

Phil Preikschas
Antonio J. Martín
Javier Pérez-Ramírez
ResearchOpen Access10 Jul 2023
Communications Chemistry

Volume: 6, P: 1-13
The Lipid Paradox is present in ST-elevation but not in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients: Insights from the Singapore Myocardial Infarction Registry

Ching-Hui Sia
Huili Zheng
Derek J. Hausenloy
ResearchOpen Access22 Apr 2020
Scientific Reports

Volume: 10, P: 1-13

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