Electrochemical CO₂ Reduction in Acidic Electrolytes: Spectroscopic Evidence for Local pH Gradients.

ABSTRACT: Inspired by recent advances in electrochemical CO₂ reduction (CO₂R) under acidic conditions, herein we leverage in situ spectroscopy to inform the optimization of CO₂R at low pH. Using attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) and fluorescent confocal laser scanning microscopy, we investigate the role that alkali cations (M⁺) play on electrochemical CO₂R. This study hence provides important information related to the local electrode surface pH under bulk acidic conditions for CO₂R, both in the presence and absence of an organic film layer, at variable [M⁺]. We show that in an acidic electrolyte, an appropriate current density can enable CO₂R in the absenc

SUBMITTER: Hicks MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11403608 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature