Cu-Pd Dual Single Atoms Promoting Selective CO₂ Photoreduction to C₂ Products in Seawater.

Authors

Elhussein M Hashem, Yiran Jiao, Amin Talebian-Kiakalaieh, Xin Xu, Shiying Ren, Teng Liang, Wenzhong Ji, Teng Lu, Yun Liu, Bingquan Xia, Ashley Slattery, Jingyu Wang, Feiyan Xu, Ping She, Yan Jiao, Jingrun Ran

Published in

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.). Pages e74420. Aug 05, 2026. Epub Aug 05, 2026.

Abstract

The solar-powered CO₂ conversion via the photocatalysis route offers a sustainable pathway toward carbon neutrality while mitigating energy/environmental pressure. Nevertheless, the selective and efficient conversion of CO₂ via photoreduction to C₂ products remains a formidable challenge. Here, we engineered a dual-single-atom photocatalyst by controllably embedding Pd and Cu single atoms into a TiO₂ matrix. The optimized catalyst (Cu_0.5Pd_0.5/TiO₂) exhibits the outstanding yield (119.2 µmol/g_cat) and selectivity (84.8%) for acetic acid production from CO₂ photoreduction, performed in seawater and in a photothermal-aided reactor. Various in situ/ex situ characterizations were employed to investigate atomic-level structure-performance correlation and reaction mechanism in practical condition. In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in situ atomic force microscopy-Kelvin probe force microscopy, transient-state surface photovoltage, and in situ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) collectively indicate that loading Pd and Cu single atoms onto TiO₂ apparently accelerates charge kinetics. This modification results in increased photogenerated electrons for CO₂ reduction, facilitating C─C coupling and hydrogenation reactions. Additionally, in situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy and theoretical computations affirm the pivotal function of Pd single atoms for lowering the energy barrier to form the ^*OCCO intermediate, apparently improving selectivity for acetic acid production. Overall, our work presents an innovative approach to tackle kinetic and thermodynamic challenges for light-induced CO₂-to-C₂ conversion.

PMID:
42554453
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Aug 2026.

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