Optimized contact in membrane electrode assembly for multicarbon product generation†

Electrochemical CO₂ reduction holds promise for achieving carbon cycling and energy storage. The energy efficiency is a critical metric for the widespread application of this technology. However, few researchers have focused on improving energy efficiency from a system perspective. Here, we analyzed the factors contributing to voltage elevation in the reaction system and proposed a system based on the membrane reactor and the non-noble metal anode. This system achieves a low electrolysis cell voltage while simultaneously prohibiting competitive reactions, thereby enhancing the selectivity and productivity of multicarbon products. The simulation and theoretical calculations reveal that this result is attributed to the reduced film between the ion exchange membrane and cathode in the optimized structure, which increases the local pH and inhibits the hydrogen evolution reaction. Specifically, an energy efficiency of 38.94% for multicarbon products, accompanied by a partial current density of 125.36 mA cm⁻², has been achieved. Notably, the energy efficiency of ethylene reaches a substantial 23.65%. When coupling the III–V solar cell with the optimized MEA reactor, a remarkable solar-to-multicarbon energy efficiency of 10.88% with over 100 mA cm⁻² was obtained, exceeding most previously reported studies. The solar-to-ethylene and overall solar-to-fuel reach 6.9% and 14.17%, respectively. This work provides insights into the practical application of electrochemical CO₂ reduction for multicarbon production driven by solar energy.