Highly efficient ethylene production via electrocatalytic hydrogenation of acetylene under mild conditions

Suheng Wang, Kelechi Uwakwe, Liang Yu (), Jinyu Ye, Yuezhou Zhu, Jingting Hu, Ruixue Chen, Zheng Zhang, Zhiyou Zhou, Jianfeng Li, Zhaoxiong Xie and Dehui Deng ()
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Suheng Wang: Xiamen University
Kelechi Uwakwe: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Liang Yu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jinyu Ye: Xiamen University
Yuezhou Zhu: Xiamen University
Jingting Hu: Xiamen University
Ruixue Chen: Xiamen University
Zheng Zhang: Xiamen University
Zhiyou Zhou: Xiamen University
Jianfeng Li: Xiamen University
Zhaoxiong Xie: Xiamen University
Dehui Deng: Xiamen University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Renewable energy-based electrocatalytic hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene (E-HAE) under mild conditions is an attractive substitution to the conventional energy-intensive industrial process, but is challenging due to its low Faradaic efficiency caused by competitive hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, we report a highly efficient and selective E-HAE process at room temperature and ambient pressure over the Cu catalyst. A high Faradaic efficiency of 83.2% for ethylene with a current density of 29 mA cm−2 is reached at −0.6 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. In-situ spectroscopic characterizations combined with first-principles calculations reveal that electron transfer from the Cu surface to adsorbed acetylene induces preferential adsorption and hydrogenation of the acetylene over hydrogen formation, thus enabling a highly selective E-HAE process through the electron-coupled proton transfer mechanism. This work presents a feasible route for high-efficiency ethylene production from E-HAE.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27372-8

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