@article{Lv2026, 
author = {Ya-Kun Lv and Meng-Yao Guo and Wen-Tao Liu and Yue-Ru Guo and Meng-Juan Wang and Jingzhen Du and Ren-Wu Huang and Shuang-Quan Zang},
title = {High-selectivity direct electrooxidation of ethylene to ethylene glycol on an atomically precise silver cluster},
year = {2026},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {19},
number = {11},
pages = {94908966},
keywords = {Ag clusters, precise structure, electrocatalysis, ethylene},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2026.94908966},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2026.94908966},
abstract = {Electrochemical oxidation of ethylene (C2H4) to ethylene glycol (EG) offers a sustainable route for chemical production. However, designing catalysts at the atomic level and precisely elucidating the microscopic mechanisms of catalytic processes remain a formidable challenge. Here, we report a well-defined Ag14S(4-CF3PhS)12(PPh3)8 cluster (Ag14) and its electrocatalytic performance and mechanism for the conversion of C2H4 to EG. The Ag14 supported on carbon nanotubes (Ag14/CNTs) achieved high selectivity (> 96%), EG productivity (73.43 μmol·h‒1), and turnover frequency (5.25 s‒1) at 2.4 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode). In situ characterization and theoretical calculations indicate that the catalytic process involves electrochemical activation of water to generate Ag-oxygen species, followed by the oxidation of C2H4 to form the intermediate ethylene oxide (EO), and eventually the ring-opening of EO to EG. The superior performance of Ag14/CNTs is attributed to the role of mixed ligands in stabilizing high-valent silver and elevating the d-band centre, thereby reducing the adsorption free energy of key intermediates and suppressing the competing oxygen evolution reaction. This work provides a foundation for developing nano-sized silver-based catalysts for the electrocatalytic conversion of C2H4 to EG.}
}