Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Synergistic effects of multi-faceted CU2O nanocrystals for electrochemical CO2 reduction

Abstract:

A method of electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide includes the use of multi-faceted Cu.sub.2O crystals as a catalyst to convert CO.sub.2 to value-added products. An electrochemical cell for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide includes a cathode including the multi-faceted Cu.sub.2O crystals. The multi-faceted Cu.sub.2O crystals have at least two different types of facets with different Miller indices. The multi-faceted Cu.sub.2O crystals include steps and kinks present at the transitions between the different types of facets. These steps and kinks improve the Faradaic Efficiency of the conversion of carbon dioxide. The multi-faceted Cu.sub.2O crystals may be nanosized. The multi-faceted Cu.sub.2O crystals may include 18-facet, 20-facet, and/or 50-facet Cu.sub.2O crystals.