Selective CO2 conversion into fuels on nanochannels.

Abstract

The purpose of this research idea is to develop a method to electrochemically convert carbon dioxide into higher alcohol chains such as ethanol to be used as fuel. Electrochemical CO2 reduction has low yields and poor product selectivity, being able to improve this reaction would have an impact in the energy & food market. We propose the use of a modified nanofluidic transistor to block reaction steps that are thermodynamically favored by constraining the kinetics of the reaction when the reaction takes place in a geometrically restricted environment with different double layer properties to those found in conventional planar electrosynthesis.