Characterization of an Electrocatalyst Fe4n(CO)12– for CO2 Reduction and H2 Evolution

Energy from renewable, periodic sources like solar or wind must be stored during times of less than peak production. If we could store the electrons produced by renewable means in an energetically dense fuel, it would aid in the economical scale-up of renewable energy. Additionally, fuels that are both energetically dense and can be sustainably produced without the use of fossil fuels or without intensive heat or pressure are ideal due to global sustainability goals. Thus, the chemical reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide present in flue gas to value added products such as formic acid, which can be used in fuel cells, is an important factor in reducing global emissions and transitioning to net zero.

It has been shown that certain metal carbonyl clusters have electrochemical redox properties that might prove useful for the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide into formic acid. Through the use of cyclic voltammetry techniques, the order and rate of the reaction of these clusters can be determined, providing further insight into the reaction mechanism and thus allowing for manipulation of the catalyst to deliver the desired product. Under certain parameters determined by pH, Et4N[Fe4N(CO)12] can selectively catalyze the production of either hydrogen or formate.