Abstract
In recent years, driven by the swift progress in nanotechnology and catalytic science, researchers in the field of physical chemistry have been vigorously exploring novel catalysts designed to enhance the efficiency and selectivity of a broad spectrum of chemical reactions. Against this backdrop, Cu clusters supported on defective graphene (Cu(n)@GR, where n = 5, 6) function as two-dimensional nanocatalysts, demonstrating exceptional catalytic activity in the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO(2)RR). A comprehensive investigation into the catalytic properties of these materials has been undertaken using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. By tailoring the configuration of Cu(n)@GR, specific reduction products such as CH(4) and CH(3)OH can be selectively produced. The product selectivity is quantitatively analyzed through free energy calculations. Remarkably, the Cu(5)@GR catalyst enables the electrochemical reduction of CO(2) to CH(4) with a significantly low overpotential of -0.31 eV. Furthermore, the overpotential of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is higher than that of the conversion of CO(2) to CH(4); hence, the HER is unlikely to interfere and impede the efficiency of CH(4) production. This study demonstrates that Cu(5)@GR offers low overpotential and high catalytic efficiency, providing a theoretical foundation for the design and experimental synthesis of composite nanocatalysts.