Synergistic electrode design for efficient CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products at elevated temperatures

Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction (CO<sub>2</sub>RR) technology holds significant industrial potential. However, when faced with elevated-temperature environments caused by industrial-scale operations, the fundamental understanding of temperature-dependent CO<sub>2</sub>RR behavior in flow cells remains elusive. This study points out that elevated-temperature operation (>333 K) presents both challenges and opportunities for multi-carbon (C<sub>2+</sub>) production. While elevated temperature enhances reaction kinetics and reduces thermodynamic energy barriers, it simultaneously induces reconstruction of Cu-based catalyst, accelerates gas diffusion electrode flooding, and promotes *CO desorption together with hydrogen evolution reaction, collectively suppressing C<sub>2+</sub> product formation and compromising long-term reactor stability. Through rational design of hydrophobic-enhanced Pd-Cu<sub>2</sub>O/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/Ag tandem electrodes, we overcome these challenges. Leveraging thermal reduced C-C coupling barriers, the optimized electrode achieves >70% Faradaic efficiency of C<sub>2+</sub> across industrially relevant current densities (200-1000 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>) at 348 K. This strategy converts elevated temperature adversity into a kinetic and thermodynamic advantage, boosting C<sub>2+</sub> cathodic energy efficiency by 1.3 times compared to ambient operation, establishing a promising paradigm for industrially viable CO<sub>2</sub> electrolysis.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2026-02-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69506-w
Primary Topic
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
Type
article
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article

Synergistic electrode design for efficient CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products at elevated temperatures

Dongao Zhang, Lina Hu, Zhiqi Chen, Jingya Huang et al.
Nature Communications
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
article

Synergistic electrode design for efficient CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products at elevated temperatures

Dongao Zhang, Lina Hu, Zhiqi Chen, Jingya Huang, Yun Yang, Jiamin Wang, Yuqi Zhang, Guoxiong Wang
article en

Abstract

Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction (CO<sub>2</sub>RR) technology holds significant industrial potential. However, when faced with elevated-temperature environments caused by industrial-scale operations, the fundamental understanding of temperature-dependent CO<sub>2</sub>RR behavior in flow cells remains elusive. This study points out that elevated-temperature operation (>333 K) presents both challenges and opportunities for multi-carbon (C<sub>2+</sub>) production. While elevated temperature enhances reaction kinetics and reduces thermodynamic energy barriers, it simultaneously induces reconstruction of Cu-based catalyst, accelerates gas diffusion electrode flooding, and promotes *CO desorption together with hydrogen evolution reaction, collectively suppressing C<sub>2+</sub> product formation and compromising long-term reactor stability. Through rational design of hydrophobic-enhanced Pd-Cu<sub>2</sub>O/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/Ag tandem electrodes, we overcome these challenges. Leveraging thermal reduced C-C coupling barriers, the optimized electrode achieves >70% Faradaic efficiency of C<sub>2+</sub> across industrially relevant current densities (200-1000 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>) at 348 K. This strategy converts elevated temperature adversity into a kinetic and thermodynamic advantage, boosting C<sub>2+</sub> cathodic energy efficiency by 1.3 times compared to ambient operation, establishing a promising paradigm for industrially viable CO<sub>2</sub> electrolysis.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 17(1)
Xiamen University (CN), Fudan University (CN), Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy (CN)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 59%
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
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Synergistic electrode design for efficient CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products at elevated temperatures — Dongao Zhang, Lina Hu, et al. · Nature Communications (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS