ELECTROCHEMICAL CO2 REDUCTION TO CONDENSED MOLECULES

WORK WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARDS ACHIEVING BOTH HIGH FARADAIC EFFICIENCIES AND CURRENT DENSITIES FOR THE ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE TO CONDENSED SPECIES SUCH AS METHANOL. THE PROPOSED ELECTROCATALYSIS STRATEGY WILL INVOLVE PROVIDING DISTINCT SITES ON THE ELECTRODE SURFACE FOR ELECTROCHEMICALLY GENERATING CHEM-ISORBED HYDROGEN (AT COPPER) AND ADSORBED CARBON DIOXIDE (AT EITHER FERHO3, LARHO3, LANIO3, OR LACOO3 SITES). THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY ELECTROCHEMICALLY IN SITU DEPOSITING COPPER FROM THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL CATHOLYTE ONTO THE ELECTRONICALLY CONDUCTING METAL OXIDE PEROVSKITE. MECHANISTIC INSIGHT WILL BE OBTAINED ON THE SYNERGISTIC ROLE OF THIS ELECTROCATALYSIS APPROACH FOR ENHANCING CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTION KINETICS TO GIVE CONDENSED SPECIES.