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Pyrolysis-free metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with optimized particle sizes were used as capacitive deionization (CDI) materials in oxygenated saline water. Upon decreasing the particle size of the MOFs, excellent cycling stability and higher CDI performance were achieved. This was possibly due to the improvement in charge transfer and electrolyte permeation, uncovering the significance of particle size control in improving CDI performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon supported nano-metal catalysts are expected to improve CO 2 reduction selectivity and efficiency due to the addition of more active sites and enhancement of electron transport ability. In this study, HKUST-1 was pyrolyzed and decorated with Pt to prepare Pt-Cu/C catalysts. The catalytic effect of the catalysts with different Pt contents in the CO 2 photoeletrochemical reduction reaction (CO 2 PRR) were compared. The total carbon atom conversion rate in CO 2 PRR experiments using Pt-Cu/C catalysts first increased to a peak when using 1.6 wt% Pt-Cu/C catalyst and then decreased with the increase of Pt content. The 1.6 wt% Pt-Cu/C catalyst showed good hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) inhibiting ability compared with other Pt-Cu/C catalysts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to give an insight into the CO 2 PRR mechanism on some possible active sites in Pt-Cu/C catalysts. The result demonstrated that HER was more likely to be inhibited on the Cu/Pt active surface and at the same time CO 2 PRR was promoted., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

To increase the reaction productivity and selectivity of the CO 2 photoelectrochemical reduction reaction, a Cu (benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid [BTC])-reduced graphite oxide (rGO) catalyst was prepared by using a facile hydrothermal method and used in a CO 2 photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) as a cathode catalyst. Characterization of the catalyst proved that successfully bonding of rGO to Cu(BTC) not only facilitated faster transfer of electrons on the surface of the catalyst but also created more active sites. CO 2 photoelectrochemical reduction experimental results showed that the total carbon atom conversion rate was up to 3256 nmol h -1 cm -2 which was much higher than when pure Cu(BTC) was used as a cathode catalyst. The liquid product's selectivity to alcohols was up to 95% when -2 V voltage was applied to the system with Cu(BTC)-rGO used as the cathode catalyst., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)