(343i) In-Situ Infrared Spectroscopic Investigation of Pyridine-Mediated CO2 Reduction on Pt Electrocatalysts
AIChE Annual Meeting
2016
2016 AIChE Annual Meeting
Transport and Energy Processes
CO2 Capture, Utilization, and Disposal: Key to Clean Energy Production
Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - 2:40pm to 3:00pm
The pyridine-mediated electrochemical reduction of CO2 to methanol, formate, and formaldehyde was first demonstrated by Bocarsly et. al in 1994. Since then, many mechanistic investigations of this process have been conducted using reactivity, cyclic voltammetry, or computational methods; however, direct experimental mechanistic investigation has been lacking. We employ surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy, coupled with traditional electrochemical techniques in order to probe the electrochemical interface during the pyridine-mediated electrochemical reduction of CO2 on Pt electrocatalysts. Previously proposed mechanisms are discussed and refined in light of new insights obtained in these studies.