Hollow-sphere Tin nanocatalysts for converting CO2 into formate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371802-B2
Application number	US-202217668061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2022
Priority date	Feb 9, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) hollow nanosphere electrocatalysts that convert CO 2 into formate with high current density and Faradaic efficiency (FE). The SnO 2 nanospheres were constructed from small, interconnected SnO 2 nanocrystals. The size of the constituent SnO 2 nanocrystals was controlled between 2-10 nm by varying the calcination temperature and observed a clear correlation between nanocrystal size and formate production. In situ Raman and time-dependent X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed that SnO 2 nanocrystals were reduced to metallic Sn and resisted microparticle agglomeration during CO 2 reduction. The nanosphere catalysts outperformed comparably sized, non-structured SnO 2 nanoparticles and commercially-available SnO 2 with a heterogeneous size distribution.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A SnO 2 powder, comprising at least 90 mass % hollow spheres in the (diameter) size range of 175 to 225 nm; and wherein the spheres are comprised of SnO 2 particles.

2. The SnO 2 powder of claim 1 wherein at least 90 mass % hollow spheres are in the (diameter) size range of 180 to 220 nm or 190 to 210 nm.

3. The SnO 2 powder of claim 1 , wherein at least 90 mass % of the spheres have diameters within a ±7 nm size range, a ±5 nm size range, or a ±3 nm size range.

4. The SnO 2 powder of claim 1 , wherein the hollow spheres have a wall thickness in the range of 20 to 35 nm or 25 to 30 nm.

5. The SnO 2 powder of claim 1 , comprising a j total /mA cm −2 geo of at least 50 at 1.2 V vs. RHE.

6. A SnO 2 powder, comprising hollow spheres having a diameter of 100 nm or greater, wherein the spheres are comprised of SnO 2 particles, and wherein at least 90 mass % of the spheres have diameters within a ±10 nm range.

7. The SnO 2 powder of claim 6 , wherein at least 90 mass % of the spheres have diameters within a size range of 200 to 220 nm.

8. The SnO 2 powder of claim 6 , wherein the hollow spheres are comprised of nanocrystals having a mass average diameter in the range of 5 to 15 nm, 5-10 nm, or 6 to 9 nm.

9. The SnO 2 powder of claim 1 , wherein, as measured by XRD, the hollow spheres are comprised of nanocrystals having an average crystallite size in the range of 5 to 10 nm, 6 to 9 nm, or 6 to 8 nm.

10. The SnO 2 powder of claim 6 , comprising a durability of maintaining a j formate (mA cm −2 ) of at least 35 at 1.2 V vs. RHE for at least two days without regeneration.

11. The SnO 2 powder of claim 6 , comprising an ESCA of at least 35 cm −2 .

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Nguyen Phan Thuy Duong
• Kauffman Douglas R

Classifications

• C01P2006/40

  Electric properties · CPC title

• C01P2004/64

  Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer · CPC title

• C01P2004/34

  hollow · CPC title

• C01G19/02

  Oxides · CPC title

• B01J23/14

  of germanium, tin or lead · CPC title