Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Efficient Reduction of CO2 into Formic Acid on a Lead or Tin Electrode using an Ionic Liquid Catholyte Mixture
Qinggong Zhu1, Jun Ma1, Xinchen Kang1
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamic, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
Abstract:
Highly efficient electrochemical reduction of CO2 into value-added chemicals using cheap and easily prepared electrodes is environmentally and economically compelling. The first work on the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 in ternary electrolytes containing ionic liquid, organic solvent, and H2 O is described. Addition of a small amount of H2 O to an ionic liquid/acetonitrile electrolyte mixture significantly enhanced the efficiency of the electrochemical reduction of CO2 into formic acid (HCOOH) on a Pb or Sn electrode, and the efficiency was extremely high using an ionic liquid/acetonitrile/H2 O ternary mixture. The partial current density for HCOOH reached 37.6 mA cm(-2) at a Faradaic efficiency of 91.6 %, which is much higher than all values reported to date for this reaction, including those using homogeneous and noble metal electrocatalysts. The reasons for such high efficiency were investigated using controlled experiments.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Acid Halides to Alcohols: LiAlH4 Reduction
The mechanism proceeds in three steps. First, the nucleophilic hydride ion attacks the carbonyl carbon of the acid halide to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Next, the carbonyl group is re-formed, and the halide ion departs as a leaving group, generating an aldehyde. A second nucleophilic attack by the hydride yields an alkoxide ion, which, upon protonation, gives a primary alcohol as...
02:23Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds: Reduction
Catalytic hydrogenation is similar to the reduction of an alkene or alkyne by adding H2 across the pi bond in the presence of transition metal catalysts like Raney Ni, Pd–C, Pt, or Ru. Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced by this method, often under mild to moderate heat (25–100°C) and...
01:17Carboxylic Acids to Primary Alcohols: Hydride Reduction
01:08Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition can...
01:24Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Nitriles and Carboxylic Acids
Reducing carboxylic acid derivatives like acyl chlorides (RCOCl), esters (RCO2R′), and nitriles (RCN) using milder aluminum hydride agents like lithium tri-tert-butoxyaluminum hydride [LiAlH(O-t-Bu)3] and diisobutylaluminum hydride [DIBAL-H]...
01:17Esters to Alcohols: Hydride Reductions
Lithium aluminum hydride is a source of hydride ions and functions as a nucleophile. The mechanism proceeds in three steps. Firstly, the nucleophilic hydride ion attacks the carbonyl carbon of the ester to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Subsequently, the carbonyl group re-forms,...