CO ₂ hydrogenation to formic acid on Ni(110)

Hydrogen (H) in the subsurface of transition-metal surfaces exhibits unique reactivity for heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions. Here, we explore the potential of subsurface H for hydrogenating carbon dioxide (CO ₂) on Ni(110). The energetics of surface and subsurface H reacting with surface CO ₂ to form formate, carboxyl, and formic acid on Ni(110) is systematically studied using self-consistent, spin-polarized, periodic density functional theory (DFT-GGA-PW91) calculations. We show that on Ni(110), CO ₂ can be hydrogenated to formate by surface H. However, further hydrogenation of formate to formic acid by surface H is hindered by a larger activation energy barrier. The relative energetics of hydrogenation barriers is reversed for the carboxyl-mediated route to formic acid. We suggest that the energetics of subsurface H emerging to the surface is suitable for providing the extra energy needed to overcome the barrier to formate hydrogenation. CO ₂ hydrogenation to formic acid could take place on Ni(110) when subsurface H is available to react with CO ₂. Additional electronic-structure based dynamic calculations would be needed to elucidate the detailed reaction paths for these transformations.