Selective Ethanol Formation by Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide on Electrodes Comprised of the Mixtures of Copper and Zinc Oxides

Abstract

Cathodic electrolysis was performed on an aqueous electrolyte solution containing 0.1 or 0.5 mol/dm3 of KHCO3, K3PO4, or KH2PO4 with bubbling of CO2 gas into the catholyte (the cathode was a sintered disk of CuO and ZnO; the anode was a Pt foil; and the reference electrode was Ag/AgCl). Selective formation of EtOH was noticed at the cathode in aqueous 0.1 mol/dm3 KH2PO4. The simultaneous generation of H2 was necessary for the preferential formation of EtOH by the cathodic reduction of CO2.