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Title: High-Selectivity Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 to Ethanol using a Copper Nanoparticle/N-Doped Graphene Electrode

Journal Article · · Chemistry Select
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [4];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Chemical Sciences Division
  3. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Materials Science & Technology Division
  4. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS) ; Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Computer Science and Mathematics Division
+ Show Author Affiliations

Carbon dioxide is a pollutant, but also a potential carbon source provided an efficient means to convert it to useful products. Herein we report a nanostructured catalyst for the direct electrochemical reduction of dissolved CO2 to ethanol with high Faradaic efficiency (63%) and high selectivity (84%). The catalyst is comprised of Cu nanoparticle on a highly textured, N-doped graphene film. Detailed electrochemical analysis and complementary DFT calculations indicate a novel mechanism in which multiple active sites, working sequentially, control the coupling of carbon monoxide radicals and mediate the subsequent electrochemical reduction to alcohol.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1360018
Journal Information:
Chemistry Select, Vol. 1, Issue 19; ISSN 2365-6549
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
catalyst
carbon dioxide
CO2
ethanol
reduction