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Highly Selective Production of Ethylene by the Electroreduction of Carbon Monoxide
Author(s) -
Chen Ruixue,
Su HaiYan,
Liu Deyu,
Huang Rui,
Meng Xianguang,
Cui Xiaoju,
Tian ZhongQun,
Zhang Dong H.,
Deng Dehui
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201910662
Subject(s) - ethylene , carbon monoxide , syngas , catalysis , selectivity , carbon fibers , faraday efficiency , chemistry , chemical engineering , cathode , materials science , inorganic chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , electrochemistry , composite material , composite number , engineering
Conversion of carbon monoxide to high value‐added ethylene with high selectivity by traditional syngas conversion process is challenging because of the limitation of Anderson‐Schulz–Flory distribution. Herein we report a direct electrocatalytic process for highly selective ethylene production from CO reduction with water over Cu catalysts at room temperature and ambient pressure. An unprecedented 52.7 % Faradaic efficiency of ethylene formation is achieved through optimization of cathode structure to facilitate CO diffusion at the surface of the electrode and Cu catalysts to enhance the C−C bond coupling. The highly selective ethylene production is almost without other carbon‐based byproducts (e.g. C 1 –C 4 hydrocarbons and CO 2 ) and avoids the drawbacks of the traditional Fischer–Tropsch process that always delivers undesired products. This study provides a new and promising strategy for highly selective production of ethylene from the abundant industrial CO.