Electrocatalytic activity of electropolymerized films of bis(vinylterpyridine)cobalt(2+) for the reduction of carbon dioxide and oxygen

Abstract

The polymer films lower the overpotential of carbon dioxide reduction in DMF by nearly 1,0 V and the four-electron reduction of oxygen in aqueous solution by 300 mV. The predominant product of carbon dioxide reduction is formic acid. The product distribution (water vs peroxide) in the reduction of oxygen was strongly dependent on the polymer coverage, with water being the predominant product at high coverage (>2,5×10 −9 mol/cm 2 ), whereas at lower coverage, hydrogen peroxide was the main reaction product