Selective Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Ethylene and Ethanol on Copper(I) Oxide Catalysts
Abstract
The selective electroreduction of carbon dioxide to C 2 compounds (ethylene and ethanol) on copper(I) oxide films has been investigated at various electrochemical potentials. Aqueous 0.1 M KHCO 3 was used as electrolyte. A remarkable finding is that the faradic yields of ethylene and ethanol can be systematically tuned by changing the thickness of the deposited overlayers. Films 1.7–3.6 μm thick exhibited the best selectivity for these C 2 compounds at −0.99 V vs RHE, with faradic efficiencies (FE) of 34–39% for ethylene and 9–16% for ethanol. Less than 1% methane was formed. A high C 2 H 4 /CH 4 products’ ratio of up to ∼100 could be achieved. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and in situ Raman spectroscopy revealed that the Cu 2 O films reduced rapidly and remained as metallic Cu 0 particles during the CO 2 reduction. The selectivity trends exhibited by the catalysts during CO 2 reduction in phosphate buffer, and KHCO 3 electrolytes suggest that an increase in local pH at the surface of the electrode is not the only factor in enhancing the formation of C 2 products. An optimized surface population of edges and steps on the catalyst is also necessary to facilitate the dissociation of CO 2 and the dimerization of the pertinent CH x O intermediates to ethylene and ethanol.
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The high selectivity was attributed to the synergistic effect of the nanostructuring, yielding highly exposed edge sites, and the heteroatom N doping.
“The high selectivity was attributed to the synergistic effect of the nanostructuring, yielding highly exposed edge sites, and the heteroatom N doping (Figure 8 a,b).[118]”
From Electrochemical CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction into Chemical Feedstocks: From Mechanistic Electrocatalysis Models to System Design (2019) · cites this paper as [118]
Jingjie et al. reported a N-doped graphene quantum dot catalyst with a selectivity towards ethylene and ethanol of 45%.
“Jingjie et al. reported a N-doped graphene quantum dot catalyst with a selectivity towards ethylene and ethanol of 45%.”
From Electrochemical CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction into Chemical Feedstocks: From Mechanistic Electrocatalysis Models to System Design (2019) · cites this paper as [118]
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- Authors
- Ren, D., Deng, Y., Handoko, A. D., Chen, C. S., Malkhandi, S., & Yeo, B. S.
- Affiliations
- National University of Singapore (SG)
- Corresponding author
- Yeo, Boon Siang
- Venue
- ACS Catalysis
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2015-03-31
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 2814-2821
- ISSN
- 2155-5435 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2330888951
- Cited by
- 930
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 42 · 2025: 72 · 2024: 100 · 2023: 79 · 2022: 107 · 2021: 115 · 2020: 116 · 2019: 104 · 2018: 77 · 2017: 63 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 13
- FWCI
- 19.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ACS Catalysis (publishedVersion)
- National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National University of Singapore (R143-000-515-133)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Process Chemistry and Technology › Carbon dioxide utilization in catalysis
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Catalysis › Catalysts for Methane Reforming
- Keywords
- electrochemical CO2 reduction, ethylene, ethanol, C2 selectivity, Faradaic efficiency, film thickness, local pH, CO2 dissociation, phosphate buffer, methane suppression
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