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Ethylene Electrosynthesis from Acetylene at Ampere-Level Current Density via Promoting Interparticle Mass Transport
Chuanchuan Yan1,2, Yi Wang1, Youwen Rong1,3
1State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|September 4, 2025
Summary
Optimizing copper (Cu) cube spacing in electrodes significantly boosts electrocatalytic acetylene semi-hydrogenation (EASH) for ethylene production. Enhanced interparticle mass transport leads to higher reaction rates and selectivity in this green chemistry approach.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
- Materials Science
Background:
- Electrocatalytic acetylene semi-hydrogenation (EASH) is a promising renewable route for ethylene production.
- Current EASH methods face challenges in reaction rate, selectivity, and energy efficiency.
- The influence of mesoscale mass transport in catalyst layers is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of interparticle mass transport on EASH performance.
- To quantify the role of catalyst layer structure in electrocatalytic efficiency.
- To optimize electrode design for improved ethylene electrosynthesis.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of copper (Cu) cube electrodes with varying interparticle distances.
- Electrochemical measurements including current density and Faradaic efficiency.
- Operando Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
- Finite element simulations to model mass transport.
Main Results:
- Increasing the average interparticle distance of Cu cubes enhanced EASH performance.
- An electrode with 265 nm interparticle spacing achieved 97.4% ethylene Faradaic efficiency at 1.0 A cm⁻².
- A maximum ethylene partial current density of 1.5 A cm⁻² was recorded.
- Improved interparticle mass transport accelerated acetylene adsorption and ethylene desorption.
Conclusions:
- Mesoscale interparticle mass transport is critical for high-performance EASH.
- Tuning interparticle distances in catalyst layers offers a viable strategy for optimizing electrocatalytic processes.
- This research provides insights for designing advanced electrocatalysts for sustainable chemical production.
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