Interface regulation promoting carbon monoxide gas diffusion electrolysis towards C₂ products

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into multi-carbon products (C2) is a key strategy for artificial oxycarbide recycling.
• Limited gas accessibility within catalyst layers hinders C2 productivity in existing systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a novel catalyst architecture that enhances gas diffusion and electron transfer for improved CO electrolysis.
• To facilitate the kinetics of CO electrolysis for efficient production of C2 products.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a copper-polymethyl methacrylate (Cu-PMMA) porous hybrid architecture.
• Characterization of the hybrid architecture for enhanced triple-phase boundaries.
• Electrochemical testing of the catalyst for CO reduction (ECORR).

Main Results:

• Achieved a high C2 faradaic efficiency (FE) of 81.6% at a current density of 50 mA cm⁻².
• Reached a maximum C2 partial current density of 140 mA cm⁻².
• Demonstrated superior performance compared to existing Cu/hybrid catalysts.

Conclusions:

• The Cu-PMMA porous hybrid architecture effectively enhances gas diffusion and electron transfer, facilitating CO electrolysis.
• This study presents a novel strategy for designing advanced electrochemical CO reduction (ECORR) catalysts.
• The findings pave the way for developing more efficient gas-involved electrocatalysis systems.