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This study developed a highly selective copper-silver catalyst for converting carbon monoxide into acetate, a key chemical intermediate. This breakthrough enhances energy efficiency and downstream separation in chemical manufacturing.

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Area of Science:

  • Electrochemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide offers pathways for decarbonizing chemical manufacturing using low-carbon electricity.
  • Copper (Cu) is used for carbon-carbon coupling, producing multiple C2+ chemicals, but achieving selectivity for a single product remains a challenge.
  • Acetate is a C2 compound relevant to the acetic acid market.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop highly selective catalysts for acetate electrosynthesis from carbon monoxide.
  • To investigate the stabilization of ketene intermediates using dilute metal atom dispersion.
  • To enhance selectivity for a single C2+ product in electrochemical transformations.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of dilute copper-in-silver (Cu-in-Ag) alloy materials with approximately 1 atomic per cent Cu.
  • Electrosynthesis of acetate from carbon monoxide (CO) at high CO coverage and 10 atm pressure.
  • Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy to identify in situ-generated active sites.

Main Results:

  • Cu-in-Ag alloys demonstrate high selectivity for acetate electrosynthesis.
  • In situ-generated Cu clusters of <4 atoms were identified as active sites.
  • Achieved a 12:1 selectivity ratio for acetate over other products, a significant improvement.
  • Reported a CO-to-acetate Faradaic efficiency of 91% and 85% over 820 hours of operation.

Conclusions:

  • Dilute Cu-Ag alloys enable highly selective acetate electrosynthesis by stabilizing ketene intermediates.
  • The catalyst design and reactor engineering achieved high efficiency and long-term stability.
  • Maximizing Faradaic efficiency towards single C2+ products is crucial for energy efficiency and separation in electrochemical processes.