Enhancement of the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to methanol and suppression of H-2 evolution over CuO nanowires

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2020-12-10

Authors

Azenha, C. (Author) Other; Mateos-Pedrero, C. (Author) Other; Alvarez-Guerra, M. (Author) Other; Irabien, A. (Author) Other; Adélio Mendes (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Electrochimica Acta

Vol. 363

ISSN: 0013-4686

Publisher: Elsevier

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Scopus - 2 Citations

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Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Chemical engineering

Associated Projects

SunStorage - Recolha e armazenamento de energia solar

LEPABE - Financiamento Plurianual 2020-2023 da Unidade de I&D LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

LEPABE-2-ECO-INNOVATION - LEPABE-2-ECO-INNOVATION

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00S-WQX

DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2020.137207

Abstract (EN): A highly efficient copper-catalyst (noble-metal free) was developed for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (ERCO2) to methanol. Due to the nanowire structure of the catalyst, a remarkable ERCO2 selectivity was achieved, while the competing H-2 evolution reaction (HER) was significantly suppressed for the overall range of potential tested. The developed copper-catalyst (CuO NWs) outperforms the single metal Cu-catalysts in aqueous environment. Under atmospheric conditions, methanol was produced at an overpotential of 410 mV with a faradaic efficiency (FE) of 66%, and 1.27 x 10(-4) mol m(-2) s(-1) of production yield; which represents a 6.7% improvement over the previously reported value of 1.19 x 10(-4) mol m(-2) s(-1). Interestingly, when the developed CuO NWs was used as a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) in a filter-press cell (more real industrial configuration), methanol remained as the major ERCO2 product with the same FE (66%).

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9