FISCHER-TROPSCH ELECTROCHEMICAL CO2 REDUCTION TO FUELS AND CHEMICALS

This investigation was directed toward the rational selection of cathode electrocatalysts compatible with promoting carbon dioxide reduction at practical rates to commercially significant fuels and chemicals. Work performed identified electrocatalyst sites, incorporated into gas-diffusion electrodes, demonstrating high activity toward promoting both CO2 reduction to adsorbed CO and subsequent electron transfer leading to final reaction products. The feature of electrocatalysis identified was in its apparent ability to maintain a high coverage of adsorbed CO intermediate species at reaction sites available for further reduction to products. Carbon dioxide reduction proceeded at significantly lower overpotentials and higher rates and faradaic efficiencies than previously found to this time at unit-activity copper.