A Theoretical Study on the Adsorption of CO2 on CuO(110) Surface

The adsorption of CO2 on CuO(110) was investigated using density functional theory calculations. The CO2 molecule adsorbs on top of an unsaturated Cu atom with a titled configuration. The low adsorption energy and minimal charge transfer confirm the physisorption character of the adsorption process. Unlike pure copper, the more reactive behavior towards CO2 of copper oxides makes them useful for applications such as the photocatalytic reduction of CO2.