{
  "abstract": "Exploring non-copper electrocatalysts for CO₂-to-CH₄ electrosynthesis is important for reducing overreliance on copper and broadening the catalyst landscape. We report a strategy that enables CH₄ formation on cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) by regulating the local reaction microenvironment through the catalyst structure. Ultrathin hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNs) with a uniform size were synthesized and used as supports for CoPc, forming “Janus carbon shells” with inner–outer functional asymmetry. The resulting CoPc-HCN hybrid had a maximum CO₂-to-CH₄ selectivity of 15.1%, overcoming the conventional CO-selective behavior of CoPc. Mechanistic studies show that the hollow carbon structure induces a proton enrichment outside the shell through an inner–outer surface interaction. The inner carbon surface promotes the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and produces a proton-enriched environment near the CoPc-active outer surface, thereby enabling CO₂ methanation. This work highlights the critical role of catalyst structure in overcoming intrinsic selectivity limits of molecular catalysts.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Tengyi Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiaofan Hou"
    },
    {
      "name": "Wijak Yospanya"
    },
    {
      "name": "Songbo Ye"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yasutaka Matsuo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shimpei Ono"
    },
    {
      "name": "Reiko Oda"
    },
    {
      "name": "Hao Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Hiroshi Yabu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4kq1868gckg1c.bib",
  "cited_by": 2,
  "doi": "10.1016/s1872-5805(26)61096-7",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "4kq1868gckg1c",
  "issns": [
    "1872-5805",
    "1872-5805"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05826004v1",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "hal",
      "0.chim"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.chim.cata"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.chim.mate"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.chim.othe"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2105|CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7165618751",
  "pdf_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05826004/document",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-20",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4kq1868gckg1c.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:59Z",
      "native_id": "hal-05826004",
      "source": "hal",
      "url": "https://hal.science/hal-05826004v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "hal:1.chim.cata",
      "subfield": "catalysis"
    },
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "hal:1.chim.mate",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Janus carbon shells with inner–outer functional asymmetry enable local proton enrichment for promoting CO2 methanation",
  "title_text": "Janus carbon shells with inner–outer functional asymmetry enable local proton enrichment for promoting CO2 methanation",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:59Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4kq1868gckg1c",
  "venue": "New Carbon Materials",
  "versions": []
}