Pure-water-fed, electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to ethylene beyond 1,000 h stability at 10 A

Xiaojie She, Lingling Zhai, Yifei Wang, Pei Xiong, Molly Meng-Jung Li, Tai-Sing Wu, Man Chung Wong, Xuyun Guo, Zhihang Xu, Huaming Li, Hui Xu (), Ye Zhu (), Shik Chi Edman Tsang () and Shu Ping Lau ()
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Xiaojie She: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Lingling Zhai: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Yifei Wang: University of Oxford
Pei Xiong: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Molly Meng-Jung Li: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Tai-Sing Wu: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre
Man Chung Wong: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Xuyun Guo: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Zhihang Xu: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Huaming Li: Jiangsu University
Hui Xu: Jiangsu University
Ye Zhu: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Shik Chi Edman Tsang: University of Oxford
Shu Ping Lau: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Nature Energy, 2024, vol. 9, issue 1, 81-91

Abstract: Abstract Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction at near-ambient temperatures requires a complex inventory of protons, hydroxyls, carbonate ions and alkali-metal ions at the cathode and anode to be managed, necessitating the use of ion-selective membranes to regulate pH. Anion-exchange membranes provide an alkaline environment, allowing CO2 reduction at low cell voltages and suppression of hydrogen evolution while maintaining high conversion efficiencies. However, the local alkaline conditions and the presence of alkali cations lead to problematic carbonate formation and even precipitation. Here we report a pure-water-fed (alkali-cation-free) membrane–electrode–assembly system for CO2 reduction to ethylene by integrating an anion-exchange membrane and a proton-exchange membrane at the cathode and anode side, respectively, under forward bias. This system effectively suppresses carbonate formation and prevents salt precipitation. A scaled-up electrolyser stack achieved over 1,000 h stability without CO2 and electrolyte losses and with 50% Faradaic efficiency towards ethylene at a total current of 10 A.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41560-023-01415-4

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