This week, researchers at Université Montpellier and other institutes have made significant strides in the field of energy research. Their recent paper, published in Nature Energy, introduces a strategy to facilitate the selective and energy-efficient synthesis of ethylene via the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) by functionalizing catalysts that prompt reduction reactions.

The synthesis of carbon-based chemicals through the electrochemical reduction of CO2 has been a major focus of energy research. While promising results have been achieved in the production of various widely used chemicals, most proposed approaches have exhibited poor energy efficiencies and selectivity. Specifically, methods for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 into the hydrocarbon ethylene have not yet achieved desirable energy efficiency and stability, hindering their widespread deployment as alternatives for conventional petrochemical approaches.

The researchers’ approach involves functionalizing copper (Cu) catalysts for CO2 reduction using aryl diazonium salts, colorless substances currently employed to synthesize various organic compounds. The team aims to address the modest selectivity for ethylene, which leads to low energy efficiency and high downstream separation costs.

The paper, authored by Huali Wu, Lingqi Huang, and their colleagues, presents a novel strategy to enhance the synthesis of ethylene via CO2 reduction. The researchers’ findings are expected to have significant implications for the energy industry and environmental sustainability.