The effect of carbon black on selectivity of Cu2O nanoparticles during electrochemical reduction of CO2 was examined by comparing Cu2O electrode with that of Cu2O-carbon black electrode. The Cu2O to carbon black ratio was 1:10. The Cu2O nanoparticles, prepared by a wet chemical reduction method, had an average particle size of 40 nm. The particles were bound to a glassy carbon support substrate by a Nafion binder. Electrochemical reduction was conducted at different potentials, from -1.1V to -2.1V (NHE), with electrodes immersed in a CO2 saturated 0.5M KHCO3 solution inside a two compartment cell.As shown in Figures 1 and 2, there was a change in selectivity of liquid phase products from a mixture of ethanol and 1-propanol in Cu2O electrode to acetone in Cu2O-carbon black electrode. The faradaic efficiency of acetone was also very high relative to other CO2 products. Secondly, ethylene was not detected in Cu2O-carbon black electrode. Finally, there was a shift in the peak overpotential for CO formation from -1.5V to -1.9V (NHE) in Cu2O-carbon black electrode.

Electrochemical reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> using supported Cu<sub>2</sub>O electrocatalysts: Effect of carbon black

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 using supported Cu2O electrocatalysts: Effect of carbon black

Electrochemical reduction of CO₂ using supported Cu₂O electrocatalysts: Effect of carbon black