Layered double hydroxide derived triple-phase interfaces for efficient acetylene electroreduction

Abstract

Prof. ZHANG Tierui and Prof. WANG Haotian recently demonstrated a room temperature electrochemical acetylene reduction strategy at the copper-based triple-phase interfaces[Nat. Catal., 2021, 4(7), 565–574]. The conversion rate of acetylene reached 99.9% with over 90% ethylene selectivity, outperforming most of thermal hydrogenation investigations. Using water as the clean proton source and discharging oxygen on the counter electrode as the only by-product, the concentration of acetylene was successfully reduced from 5000 ppm(parts per million) to less than 1 ppm in ethylene abundant gas flow. The findings make electrocatalysis a possible alternative to thermal hydrogenation in industrial applications and demonstrate triple-phase electrochemistry as a robust method for the conversion of trace gas impurities. This research highlight aims to clear the creative ideas of reaction system design, with special attention on the catalyst modulation and characterization methods.