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Competition between H and CO for Active Sites Governs Copper‐Mediated Electrosynthesis of Hydrocarbon Fuels
Author(s) -
Schreier Marcel,
Yoon Youngmin,
Jackson Megan N.,
Surendranath Yogesh
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201806051
Subject(s) - chemistry , carbon monoxide , hydrocarbon , methane , ethylene , electrosynthesis , hydrogen , inorganic chemistry , adsorption , electrochemistry , copper , photochemistry , catalysis , organic chemistry , electrode
The dynamics of carbon monoxide on Cu surfaces was investigated during CO reduction, providing insight into the mechanism leading to the formation of hydrogen, methane, and ethylene, the three key products in the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 . Reaction order experiments were conducted at low temperature in an ethanol medium affording high solubility and surface‐affinity for carbon monoxide. Surprisingly, the methane production rate is suppressed by increasing the pressure of CO, whereas ethylene production remains largely unaffected. The data show that CH 4 and H 2 production are linked through a common H intermediate and that methane is formed through reactions among adsorbed H and CO, which are in direct competition with each other for surface sites. The data exclude the participation of solution species in rate‐limiting steps, highlighting the importance of increasing surface recombination rates for efficient fuel synthesis.