Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

ELECTROCATALYSIS

Directing CO2 conversion with copper nanoneedles

Selective, electrochemical transformation of carbon dioxide into industrially relevant C2+ products has remained a challenge. Now, a copper-based ‘nanoneedle’ electrocatalyst has been used to selectively convert carbon dioxide to ethylene at extremely high current density.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Sharp copper oxide nanoneedle electrocatalysts selectively convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and protons into ethylene (C2H4).

References

  1. Whipple, D. T. & Kenis, P. J. A. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 1, 3451–3458 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Kuhl, K. et al J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 14107–14113 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. De Luna, P. et al. Nat. Catal. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-017-0018-9 (2018).

  4. Liu, M. et al. Nature 537, 382–386 (2016).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Safaei, T. S. et al. Nano Lett. 16, 7224–7228 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mistry, H. et al Nat. Commun 7, 12123 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Xiao, H. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 114, 6685–6688 (2017).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Schouten, K. J. P. et al. Chem. Sci. 2, 1902–1909 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nørskov, J. K. et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 108, 17886–17892 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Douglas R. Kauffman or Dominic Alfonso.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kauffman, D.R., Alfonso, D. Directing CO2 conversion with copper nanoneedles. Nat Catal 1, 99–100 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-018-0025-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-018-0025-5

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing