Highly selective synthesis of multicarbon compounds by carbon dioxide hydrogenation over Pt nanocrystals anchoring Ru clusters

Selective conversion of CO2 to multicarbon compounds at low temperatures is a promising and challenging way to synthesize valuable chemicals and energy carriers by consuming CO2. However, C–C coupling possesses high energy barriers over usual catalysts, resulting in low selectivities for multicarbon compounds. Small Ru clusters anchored on Pt nanoclusters (Ru-co-Pt) on carbon were prepared for the first time in this work which could catalyze CO2 hydrogenation to form C1–C22 compounds at 130°C with a C2+ selectivity of 90.1%, much higher than the values ever reported. It was found that Ru-co-Pt exhibited a much lower energy barrier for CH2 + CH2 coupling compared to Ru or Pt nanoclusters, and those for CH2 or CH3 hydrogenation. This new knowledge well accounts for the obtained high C2+ selectivity and provides a realistic strategy for developing advanced catalysts for synthesizing multicarbon hydrocarbons and alcohols and decreasing methane formation in CO2 hydrogenation.