Development of Copper-based Catalysts for the Preparation of C2+ by Electrochemical Reduction of CO2

Abstract

Electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide involves the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into fuels and other chemicals under mild conditions using electrical energy, thereby simultaneously enabling carbon recycling as well as renewable energy storage. The reaction produces a wide variety of products, of which C2+ products such as ethylene, ethanol and propanol have higher energy density and added value compared to C1+ products such as carbon monoxide and formic acid [1]. Electrochemical reduction of CO2 is carried out using a gas diffusion electrolytic cell, which has many advantages: 1. small size, easy operation, close electrode distance, etc., which can effectively improve the mass transfer efficiency between gas and liquid; 2. the advantage of close electrode distance is low potential and less electrolyte consumption; 3. the reactor is easy to install and dismantle, the reaction system is well-closed and does not leak; the electrolyte is circulated outside the body, and the flow rate is adjusted by a peristaltic pump, which is more convenient and easy to control. At present, a new type of catalyst preparation has been completed and has completed the effect of the test, the catalyst is by the copper iodide (CuI) and 4,4-bipyridine coordination reaction two obtained by the ratio of the amount of different substances of the two mixed as well as the reaction of different time to obtain different coordination form of the catalyst, and the effect of the test, that is, the catalyst mixed with organic solvents are sprayed together with the carbon paper, clamped into the electrolytic cell, the electrolyte is analyzed using various instruments. Various instruments were used to analyze the composition of the electrolyte to derive the percentage of product. Through the test, it was found that the color of the catalyst gradually became darker with the prolongation of the reaction time, and the color of the catalyst gradually became darker with the increase of the proportion of 4,4-bipyridine in the reactants. The catalytic effect of the darker catalysts was significantly better than that of the lighter catalysts, with the percentage of C2+ products such as ethylene and ethanol increasing by 10%-15%.