Highly efficient ethylene production via electrocatalytic hydrogenation of acetylene under mild conditions

Abstract

Renewable energy-based electrocatalytic hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene (E-HAE) under mild conditions is an attractive substitution to the conventional energy-intensive industrial process, but is challenging due to its low Faradaic efficiency caused by competitive hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, we report a highly efficient and selective E-HAE process at room temperature and ambient pressure over the Cu catalyst. A high Faradaic efficiency of 83.2% for ethylene with a current density of 29 mA cm−2 is reached at −0.6 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. In-situ spectroscopic characterizations combined with first-principles calculations reveal that electron transfer from the Cu surface to adsorbed acetylene induces preferential adsorption and hydrogenation of the acetylene over hydrogen formation, thus enabling a highly selective E-HAE process through the electron-coupled proton transfer mechanism. This work presents a feasible route for high-efficiency ethylene production from E-HAE.

Catalysis for e-Chemistry: Need and Gaps for a Future De-Fossilized Chemical Production, with Focus on the Role of Complex (Direct) Syntheses by Electrocatalysis

“…Another example of unconventional application of electrocatalytic routes is in the selective hydrogenation of acetylene. 103 Acetylene hydrogenation is an important industrial reaction for purification of ethylene streams. Here the authors 103 proposed this technology as a final step in a non-oil route to produce ethylene from natural gas via methane pyrolysis.…”

“… 103 Acetylene hydrogenation is an important industrial reaction for purification of ethylene streams. Here the authors 103 proposed this technology as a final step in a non-oil route to produce ethylene from natural gas via methane pyrolysis. They reported a high Faradaic efficiency of 83.2% for ethylene with a current density of 29 mA·cm –2 on Cu electrocatalysts, due to strong acetylene chemisorption which limits the side hydrogen formation.…”

Interfacial wettability and mass transfer characterizations for gas–liquid–solid triple‐phase catalysis

“…Electrochemical acetylene reduction to ethylene has recently become a hot research topic owing to its advantages in removing trace amounts of acetylene from ethylene gas feed compared to the conventional hydrogenation route. [95][96][97] For a triple-phase electrochemical flow-cell, an Arrhenius linear relationship was observed between the logarithm of the reaction rate and the reciprocal of temperature. However, a double-phase control system immersing the electrode into an acetylene-saturated electrolyte showed a non-linear relationship.…”

Recent progress of Ga-based liquid metals in catalysis

“…Conventional thermal catalysis of ethylene frequently necessitates temperatures above 200 °C and gas pressures of 5 bars with a high hydrogen consumption, exposing the disadvantage of high production costs. 64 Armbrüster et al 11,12 prepared ionic metal precursors by co-reduction in tetrahydrofuran (THF) with lithium triethyl borohydride (LiHBEt 3 ) to prepare three types of crystal structures of single-phase Ga–Pd nanoparticles (GaPd, GaPd 2 , Ga 7 Pd 3 ). 10 Fig.…”