Electrocatalytic Fischer-Tropsch reactions. Formation of hydrocarbons and oxygen-containing compounds from CO on a Pt gas diffusion electrode

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO under high pressure (< 60 atm) using a gas diffusion electrode containing Pt catalyst (Pt-GDE) has been investigated. Acetic acid was formed at a high faradaic efficiency of 32% as a predominant CO reduction product at a constant current density of 200 mA cm(-2) under CO 40 atm. Moreover, methane, ethane, ethylene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, ethanol, I-propanol, and allyl alcohol were produced as CO reduction products. The selectivity of the reduction products depends remarkably on electrolysis conditions such as the current density, pressure of CO, and temperature. C2-compounds such as ethylene, ethanol, and acetic acid were preferentially formed at small current densities and/or high CO pressure conditions, whereas methane was predominantly produced at large current densities and/or low CO pressure conditions.