CO 2 electrolysis to multicarbon products in strong acid

Abstract

Potassium helps CO 2 compete in acid Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is a promising means of converting this greenhouse gas into valuable fuels and chemicals. However, two competing reactions restrict the efficiency of this process. In base, much of the CO 2 is trapped as carbonate before reduction; in acid, protons outpace CO 2 at catching electrons from the cathode. Huang et al. report that a high dose of potassium ions can help to solve the latter problem. By concentrating potassium ions at the electrode, high selectivity toward CO 2 reduction at high current in acid is possible, which the authors attribute to electrostatic stabilization of the desired adsorbates. Science , abg6582, this issue p. 1074