Highly selective plasma-activated copper catalysts for carbon dioxide reduction to ethylene

There is an urgent need to develop technologies that use renewable energy to convert waste products such as carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuels. Carbon dioxide can be electrochemically reduced to hydrocarbons over copper catalysts, although higher efficiency is required. We have developed oxidized copper catalysts displaying lower overpotentials for carbon dioxide electroreduction and record selectivity towards ethylene (60%) through facile and tunable plasma treatments. Herein we provide insight into the improved performance of these catalysts by combining electrochemical measurements with microscopic and spectroscopic characterization techniques. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and cross-sectional…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: NSF-Chemistry 1213182, 1207065, 1534630, 1213182, NSF-DMR 1207065, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-SC0012704
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: -AC02-05CH11231, FG02-03ER15476, DE-SC0012653, Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, 05CH11231, No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, No. DE-SC0012704, AC02-05CH11231, SC0012704, DE-AC02, DE-FG02-, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-FG02-03ER15476, FG02-08ER15995, DE-FG02, DE-FG02-08ER15995, DE-AC02-
• UO
  University of Texas at Austin
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: EXC 1069, DE-AC02-05CH11231
• BF
  Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung

  Awards: 03SF0523, DE-SC0012704, CO2EKAT, EXC 1069
• OO
  Office of Science

  Awards: No. DE-SC0012704, AC02-05CH11231, -AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02, DE-FG02-03ER15476, Contract No. DE-SC0012704, SC0012704, No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-SC0012704
• DO
  Division of Materials Research

  Award: 1207065
• DO
  Division of Chemistry

  Awards: 1213182, CHE 1534630, 1534630, DE-AC02-05CH11231
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Awards: Contract No. DE-SC0012704, DE-AC02, DE-SC0012704, AC02-05CH11231, No. DE-SC0012704, Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-FG02-08ER15995, DE-FG02, DE-FG02-03ER15476, SC0012704, No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, -AC02-05CH11231, DE-SC0012653
• BN
  Brookhaven National Laboratory

  Awards: SC0012704, DE-AC02-05CH11231, No. DE-SC0012704, Contract No. DE-SC0012704, DE-SC0012653
• LB
  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  Awards: DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-SC0012704, No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, 05CH11231, AC02-05CH11231