Constructing Cu⁰/Cu⁺ interface on copper foils to boost electrochemical CO₂ reduction to ethylene

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Industrial CO2 valorization requires efficient conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable C2+ products.
• High faradaic efficiency (FE) and scalability of electrodes are critical challenges in CO2 electrocatalysis.
• Current methods face limitations in fabricating large-size electrodes for industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable and dimensionally controllable electrode for efficient CO2 conversion.
• To achieve high faradaic efficiency for C2+ products, specifically ethylene (C2H4).
• To address the constraints in fabricating large-size electrodes for industrial CO2 valorization.

Main Methods:

• Facile preparation of a Copper(I) chloride-Copper (CuCl-Cu) electrode.
• Precise dimensional control during electrode fabrication.
• Electrochemical testing to evaluate CO2 conversion performance.

Main Results:

• The developed CuCl-Cu electrode demonstrated precise dimensional controllability and easy scalability.
• Achieved a high faradaic efficiency (FE) for ethylene (C2H4) of 65.11%.
• High performance was maintained at a significant current density of -300 mA cm-2.

Conclusions:

• The facilely prepared CuCl-Cu electrode offers a scalable solution for CO2 valorization.
• This electrode design overcomes fabrication challenges for large-size electrodes.
• The high FE for C2H4 demonstrates significant potential for industrial CO2-to-value applications.