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Cover Feature: Enhancing Molecular Electrocatalysis of CO 2 Reduction with Pressure‐Tunable CO 2 ‐Expanded Electrolytes (ChemSusChem 23/2020)
Author(s) -
Sconyers David J.,
Shaughnessy Charles I.,
Lee HyunJin,
Subramaniam Bala,
Leonard Kevin C.,
Blakemore James D.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.202002413
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , electrolyte , electrochemistry , catalysis , acetonitrile , chemistry , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , renewable energy , materials science , nanotechnology , electrode , organic chemistry , engineering , electrical engineering
The Cover Feature shows the concept of electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into more useful chemicals powered by renewable energy. In this article, CO 2 ‐Expanded Electrolytes (CXEs) are used to enhance the rate of CO 2 ‐to‐CO conversion by a workhorse molecular electrocatalyst, Re(CO) 3 (bpy)Cl (where bpy is 2,2′‐bipyridyl) by up to a factor of five compared to the rate attainable at near‐ambient pressures. CXEs enable multimolar CO 2 concentrations to be achieved at relatively mild CO 2 headspace pressures over acetonitrile‐based solutions containing sufficient supporting electrolyte for electrochemical work. With CXEs, the full mixed‐order kinetic profile of the Re(CO) 3 catalyst has been measured for the first time, showing that the intrinsic kinetic behavior of the catalyst is competitive with those of several fast enzymes under optimal conditions in CXEs. More information can be found in the Full Paper by D. J. Sconyers et al.