425336 Mechanistic Studies of the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 on Gold

Sunday, November 8, 2015: 3:50 PM
355D (Salt Palace Convention Center)
Marco Dunwell1, Qi Lu1,2, Bingjun Xu3, Feng Jiao4, Yushan Yan5 and Jingguang G. Chen6, (1)Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, (2)Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, (3)Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, (4)Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, (5)Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, (6)Chemistry Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY

The lack of mechanistic understanding of electrode mediated CO2 electrochemical reduction is a severe barrier in development of active and selective electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction. Au is an ideal material for initial mechanistic studies due to its high selectivity toward a single product (CO). Vibrational spectroscopy, electrokinetic studies, isotopic labeling, and mass spectroscopy were combined in the mechanistic study of CO2 reduction on Au electrodes. We demonstrate for the first time that pH near the electrode surface is significantly elevated relative to the bulk. In addition, we propose that adsorption of metal cations at sufficiently low potentials could be a key factor in limiting the transport of reactants to the electrode surface, thus suppressing the reaction rate.

Extended Abstract: File Not Uploaded
See more of this Session: Electrocatalysis and Photoelectrocatalysis I: CO2 Reduction
See more of this Group/Topical: Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division