Highly Selective Production of Ethylene by the Electroreduction of Carbon Monoxide

Conversion of carbon monoxide to high value‐added ethylene with high selectivity by traditional syngas conversion process is challenging because of the limitation of Anderson‐Schulz–Flory distribution. Herein we report a direct electrocatalytic process for highly selective ethylene production from CO reduction with water over Cu catalysts at room temperature and ambient pressure. An unprecedented 52.7 % Faradaic efficiency of ethylene formation is achieved through optimization of cathode structure to facilitate CO diffusion at the surface of the electrode and Cu catalysts to enhance the C−C bond coupling. The highly selective ethylene production is almost without other carbon‐based byproducts (e.g. C1–C4 hydrocarbons and CO2) and avoids the drawbacks of the traditional Fischer–Tropsch process that always delivers undesired products. This study provides a new and promising strategy for highly selective production of ethylene from the abundant industrial CO. CORTE in the act: A direct electrocatalytic process allows a highly selective CO reduction to ethylene (CORTE) with water over Cu catalysts at room temperature and ambient pressure. An unprecedented 52.7 % Faradaic efficiency of ethylene formation results from optimization of the cathode structure to facilitate CO diffusion.