CO2 electrochemical reduction by exohedral N-pyridine decorated metal-free carbon nanotubes

Electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CORR) to fuels and chemicals represents nowadays one of the most challenging solutions for renewable energy storage and utilization. Among the possible reaction pathways, CO-to-CO conversion is the first (2e) reduction step towards the production of a key-feedstock that holds great relevance for chemical industry. In this report we describe the electrocatalytic CO-to-CO reduction by a series of tailored N-decorated carbon nanotubes to be employed as chemoselective metal-free electrocatalysts. The choice of an exohedral functionalization tool for the introduction of defined N-groups at the outer surface of carbon nanomaterials warrants a unique control on N-configuration and electronic charge density distribution at the dangling heterocycles. A comparative electrochemical screening of variably N-substituted carbon nanomaterials in CORR together with an analysis of the electronic charge density distribution at each heterocycle have suggested the existence of a coherent descriptor for the catalyst's CO faradaic efficiency (FECO). Evidence allows to infer that N-configuration (N-pyridinic vs. N-pyrrolic) of exohedral dopants and electronic charge density distribution at the N-neighboring carbon atoms of each heterocycle are directly engaged in the activation and stabilization of CO and its reduction intermediates.