CO ₂ electroreduction to ethylene via hydroxide-mediated copper catalysis at an abrupt interface

Abstract

A very basic pathway from CO 2 to ethylene Ethylene is an important commodity chemical for plastics. It is considered a tractable target for synthesizing renewably from carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The challenge is that the performance of the copper electrocatalysts used for this conversion under the required basic reaction conditions suffers from the competing reaction of CO 2 with the base to form bicarbonate. Dinh et al. designed an electrode that tolerates the base by optimizing CO 2 diffusion to the catalytic sites (see the Perspective by Ager and Lapkin). This catalyst design delivers 70% efficiency for 150 hours. Science , this issue p. 783 ; see also p. 707