An Analysis of Copper Enrichment on a Gold Electrocatalyst as a Method of Syngas Synthesis from CO2

Abstract

This literary review examines the work of a distinguished research team from the University of Berkeley and the University of Toronto. The work in question was a key paper in the global search within the scientific community to find a solution to the excess of fossil fuels within the atmosphere. Specifically, this research team’s focus was the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide. This review offers a fundamental standpoint, honing in on a specific technique that is cutting-edge in terms of technology, research, and methodology, while also being broadly applicable. The technique includes the use of a gold (Au) electrode precisely coated with a copper (Cu) monolayer, which (altogether) serves as the electrocatalyst powering the reaction. Techniques like Raman spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, coupled with concepts such as Molecular Orbital Theory, helped to explain the inner workings of the carbon dioxide reduction reaction. This study demonstrated that changing the amount of Cu deposited onto a Au surface affected the produced hydrogen gas (H₂) to carbon monoxide (CO) ratio. This review also considered the appropriateness of Raman spectroscopy, and whether or not it was the best technical choice given the context of this experiment. Altogether, this review uses fundamental concepts in chemistry to analyze a new method of reducing carbon dioxide, an electrochemical process that is growing increasingly relevant in today’s efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions.