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High‐Yield Electrochemical Production of Formaldehyde from CO 2 and Seawater
Author(s) -
Nakata Kazuya,
Ozaki Takuya,
Terashima Chiaki,
Fujishima Akira,
Einaga Yasuaki
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201308657
Subject(s) - faraday efficiency , seawater , electrochemistry , yield (engineering) , methanol , electrolyte , aqueous solution , formaldehyde , inorganic chemistry , materials science , electrode , catalysis , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , oceanography , engineering , geology
Abstract The catalytic, electrocatalytic, or photocatalytic conversion of CO 2 into useful chemicals in high yield for industrial applications has so far proven difficult. Herein, we present our work on the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 in seawater using a boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode under ambient conditions to produce formaldehyde. This method overcomes the usual limitation of the low yield of higher‐order products, and also reduces the generation of H 2 . In comparison with other electrode materials, BDD electrodes have a wide potential window and high electrochemical stability, and, moreover, exhibit very high Faradaic efficiency (74 %) for the production of formaldehyde, using either methanol, aqueous NaCl, or seawater as the electrolyte. The high Faradaic efficiency is attributed to the sp 3 ‐bonded carbon of the BDD. Our results have wide ranging implications for the efficient and cost‐effective conversion of CO 2 .