Nanostructured gold electrocatalysts have been a chief focus due to their ability to reduce CO<sub>2</sub> into CO, a feedstock for further conversion to fuels. Many methods such as nano/meso-structuring and crystal faceting have been employed to modulate the selectivity of the carbon dioxide reduction reaction vs the hydrogen evolution reaction. We provide a comprehensive kinetics analysis, taking into account mass transport and homogeneous coupled reactions, to provide an activation-driving force relationship over a large potential window. The analysis shows that little to no selectivity is achieved by nanostructuring at high current density, which is needed for practical applications of carbon dioxide reduction. Furthermore, we show that recent attempts to overcome mass transport limitations with gas diffusion electrodes confront low carbon mass balance owing to the prominence of homogeneous reactions coupled to the carbon dioxide reduction reaction.

On the selectivity of the reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> on gold electrodes

2019 Fall National Meeting

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

On the selectivity of the reduction of CO2 on gold electrodes

On the selectivity of the reduction of CO₂ on gold electrodes