Understanding the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide at Copper Surfaces

Discovery of efficient and selective electrocatalysts for the reduction of carbon dioxide has the potential of rendering a sustainable chemical industry. Many metals could reduce carbon dioxide to formate or carbon monoxide, the formation of which involves only two electrons transfer. Copper is the only metal that catalyzes the formation of hydrocarbons and oxygenates (for example, 8 electrons transfer for methane, 18 electrons for n-propanol) with appreciable amounts. This unique catalytic behavior makes the study of copper-based catalysts attractive. At the same time, uncovering different reaction intermediates and gaining fundamental insights into the reaction pathways are not only scientifically worthwhile, but also critical in guiding us to design better catalysts. In this chapter, we will focus on the recent mechanistic understanding of copper-based catalysts for the formation of different products, including carbon monoxide, formate, methane, ethylene, ethanol and n-propanol.