Core-shell nanostructured Cu-based bi-metallic electrocatalysts for co-production of ethylene and acetate.

Direct electrocatalytic CCU routes to produce a myriad of valuable chemicals (, methanol, acetic acid, ethylene, propanol, among others) will allow the chemical industry to shift away from the conventional fossil-based production. Electrofuels need to go beyond the current electroreduction of CO to CO, and we will here demonstrate the continuous flow electroreduction of syngas (, CO and H), which are the products from CO-to-CO, with enhanced product selectivity (∼90% towards ethylene). To overcome current drawbacks, including bicarbonate formation that resulted in low CO utilisation and low C product selectivity, the development of nanostructured core-shell bi-metallic electrocatalysts for direct electrochemical reduction of syngas to C is proposed. Electrosynthesis of ethylene is performed in a state-of-the-art continuous flow three-compartment cell to produce ethylene (cathodic gas phase product) and acetate (cathodic liquid phase product), simultaneously.