Catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide at carbon electrodes modified with cobalt phthalocyanine

Abstract

We report the electrocatalytic reduction of aqueous solutions of CO₂(g) to CO(g). The reaction occurs on carbon electrodes modified by adsorption of cobalt phthalocyanine, Co(Pc). The CO₂ reduction can be achieved within 300 mV of the thermodynamic CO₂/CO redox potential, and essentially the only carbon-containing product is CO(g). In contrast, Co(Pc) dissolved in homogeneous solution yields poor stability and low catalytic efficiency for CO₂ activation. Thus, in addition to an energy-efficient activation of CO₂(g), this system demonstrates the effectiveness of chemical modification of electrodes in suppressing deleterious decomposition pathways during electrocatalysis.

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