Production of Methane and Ethylene in Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide at Copper Electrode in Aqueous Hydrogencarbonate Solution

Abstract The electrochemical reduction of CO2 was studied with galvanostatic (5 mA cm−2) electrolysis at a copper electrode between 0 and 40 °C. The production of CH4 and C2H4 was confirmed by GC with 4 different columns. The faradaic efficiency of CH4 formation was about 65% at 0 °C and dropped with an increase of temperature, whereas that of C2H4 formation rose to ca. 20% at 40 °C.