High Ethanol Selectivity Research Articles

Switching CO2 Electroreduction Pathways between Ethylene and Ethanol via Tuning Microenvironment of the Coating on Copper Nanofibers

AbstractEngineering the microenvironment of electrode surface is one of the effective means to tune the reaction pathways in CO2RR. In this work, we prepared copper nanofibers with conductive polypyrrole coating by polymerization of pyrrole using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as template. As a result, the obtained copper nanofibers Cu/Cu2+1O/SHNC, exhibited a superhydrophobic surface, which demonstrated very high selectivity for ethanol with a Faraday efficiency (FE) of 66.5 % at −1.1 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in flow cell. However, the catalyst Cu/Cu2+1O/NC, which was prepared under the same conditions but without PVP, possessed a hydrophobic surface and exhibited high selectivity towards ethylene at the given potentials. The mechanism for switch of reaction pathways from ethylene to ethanol in CO2RR was studied. Incorporating pyrrolidone groups into the polymer coating results in the formation of a superhydrophobic surface. This surface weakens the hydrogen bonding interaction between interfacial water molecules and facilitates the transfer of CO2, thereby enhancing the local CO2/H2O ratio. The high coverage of *CO promotes the coupling of *CO and *CHO to form C2 intermediates, and reduces the reaction energy for the formation of *CHCHOH (ethanol path) at the interface. This ensures that the reaction pathway is directed towards ethanol.

Enhanced ethanol response, selectivity, and stability of ZIF-67-derived ZnO/Co3O4 bimetallic oxide composites

This study aims to develop an efficient, stable, highly humidity-resistant, and selective ethanol sensing material. In this study, ZIF-67-derived ZnO/Co3O4 bimetallic oxide composite materials were synthesized via a co-precipitation method followed by a one-pot hydrothermal reaction. Different mass ratios (10 %, 30 %, 50 %) of ZIF-67-Derived ZnO/Co3O4 composite materials were obtained by varying the mass of Co3O4. The ethanol sensing performance of these composite materials were investigated. Results demonstrated that the ZnO/Co3O4-ZIF30 % sensor exhibited a response value of 42.3 for 50 ppm ethanol at 240 °C, with response and recovery times of 50 s and 200 s, respectively. Furthermore, the ZnO/Co3O4-ZIF30 % sensor showed almost no change in response value as humidity increased from 30 % RH to 80 % RH, indicating remarkably high humidity resistance. Additionally, ZnO/Co3O4-ZIF30 % exhibited high selectivity for ethanol. Consequently, the ZnO/Co3O4-ZIF30 % material demonstrated superior ethanol sensing performance. Finally, the multiple gas sensing mechanisms of ZIF-67-derived ZnO/Co3O4 composites were carefully investigated. In conclusion, the ZnO/Co3O4-ZIF30 % material demonstrated outstanding ethanol sensing performance, indicating its significant potential for practical applications.

Enhanced ethanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation over Fe and Na co-modified Rh/CeO2 catalysts

Rh catalyst is investigated as a strong candidate for CO2 hydrogenation to ethanol, but it is still challenging because of the poor conversion efficiency. Here, by screening the promotors systematically and varying the amounts of components simultaneously, the optimized catalyst of 2Rh0.5Fe0.5Na/CeO2 was found to highly efficient catalytic CO2 hydrogenation to ethanol, giving a high ethanol selectivity of 29.8 % with a superior CO2 conversion of 13.0 % at 250 °C, 3 MPa, and the ethanol productivity reached 116.7 mmol·gRh−1·h−1. Characterization results revealed that the modification of Fe and Na, can promote the dispersion of Rh and the formation of Rh+ species, enhancing the capacities of CO2 adsorption and dissociation. In situ DRIFT experiment illuminated that the Rh active sites synergized with Fe and Na can stabilize the adsorbed species of m-CO32− and CO3H−, and promote the generation of HCOO* and CO* intermediates, which can be provided to couple with the CHx species, resulting in the high efficacy for ethanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation.

Critical Role of Cu Nanoparticle-Loaded Cu(100) Surface Structures on Structured Copper-Based Catalysts in Boosting Ethanol Generation in CO2 Electroreduction.

Presently, realizing high ethanol selectivity in CO2 electroreduction remains challenging due to difficult C-C coupling and fierce product competition. In this work, we report an innovative approach for improving the efficiency of Cu-based electrocatalysts in ethanol generation from electrocatalytic CO2 reduction using a crystal plane modification strategy. These novel Cu-based electrocatalysts were fabricated by electrochemically activating three-dimensional (3D) flower-like CuO micro/nanostructures grown in situ on copper foils and modifying with surfactants. It was demonstrated that the fabricated Cu-based electrocatalyst featured a predominantly exposed Cu(100) surface loaded with high-density Cu nanoparticles (NPs). The optimal Cu-based electrocatalyst displayed considerably improved CO2 electroreduction performance, with a Faraday efficiency of 37.9% for ethanol and a maximum Faraday efficiency of 68.0% for C2+ products at -1.4 V vs RHE in an H-cell, accompanied by a high current density of 69.9 mA·cm-2, much better than the particulate Cu-based electrocatalyst. It was unveiled that the Cu(100)-rich surface of nanoscale petals with abundant under-coordinated copper atoms from CuNPs was conducive to the formation and stabilization of key *CH3CHO and *OC2H5 intermediates, thereby promoting ethanol generation. This study highlighted the critical role of CuNP-loaded Cu(100) surface structures on structured Cu-based electrocatalysts in enhancing ethanol production for the CO2 electroreduction process.

Simultaneous determination of methanol, ethanol, and formic acid in human serum by HSGC-MS: Method development, validation, and application

The concurrent assessment of methanol, ethanol, and formic acid is imperative for accurate clinical toxicology diagnosis in cases of methanol poisoning. Here, we reported a very simple and reliable headspace gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HSGC-MS) method for simultaneous quantitative determination of methanol, ethanol and formic acid in blood samples. The derivatization variables for formic acid were optimized. The method exhibits high sensitivity, good selectivity and effective separation factor for methanol (6.51 min), ethanol (8.29 min), and formic acid (11.41 min). The method demonstrates excellent reproducibility and accuracy. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were determined to be 3.14–5.83 μg/mL and 10.47–19.34 μg/mL, respectively. Finally, this method was successfully used for measuring the levels of methanol, ethanol, and formic acid in the serum of patients involved in actual methanol poisoning incidents.

Highly selective and low-overpotential electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to ethanol by Cu-single atoms decorated N-doped carbon dots

Selective, low-overpotential and high Faradaic efficiency electroreduction of CO2 to ethanol is in prominent global demand and lies in structuring, loading, and modulating the coordination states of Cu single atom catalysts (SACs) with support matrix. Here, the low-temperature (160 °C) synthesis of Cu–SACs–N-doped carbons dots (Cu–SACs–N–CQDs) is reported via Cu–dopamine complex process. The optimized Cu–SACs–N–CQDs electrocatalyst brings remarkably high Faraday efficiency (> 80%) and selectivity for ethanol with 50 h operation stability, which far exceeds previous results in terms of overpotential, stability, and Faraday efficiency. Surprisingly, the Faraday efficiency and selectivity of ethanol are highly sensitive to the coordination states of copper SACs with variation of Cu loadings. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates in situ-generated neighboring metallic Cu–Cu atom coordination as real catalytic active sites from isolated single Cu atom during CO2 reduction, which favors the ethanol selectivity.

Electrocatalytic ethanol-to-CO2 selectivity on the Ir electrode: A quasi-quantitative electrochemical infrared absorption spectroscopic investigation

Ir has long been regarded as an alternative ethanol-to-CO2 electrocatalyst, but little is known about the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) mechanism on Ir, especially the C1 pathway selectivity. Thereby, in situ quasi-quantitative electrochemical infrared absorption spectroscopy (QEIAS), consisting of total-reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS), infrared absorption spectroscopy (IRAS), and transmission infrared absorption spectroscopy (TIAS) with a thin-layer flow cell, is established to probe it. Initially, the well-accepted EOR dual-pathway mechanism is confirmed via ATR-SEIRAS and IRAS. Ir-Had species (ca. 2040 cm−1), originating from the ethanol dissociation at low potentials, are observed for the first time to replenish the reaction process. Based on it, the apparent Faradaic efficiency of the C1 pathway (FEC1) is readily estimated to be as high as 76.4% (0.7 V) in acidic media. The quantitative analysis of reaction residual verifies these FEC1 results through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and a relative error of only 2–9% exists between the two methods. Thus, Ir might be more efficient for ethanol complete oxidation than other Pt-group metallic catalysts, especially in acidic media. This work could be necessary for the rational design of Ir-based EOR catalysts with high C1 pathway selectivity and low over-potential for direct ethanol fuel cells.

CuAg bimetallic catalysts derived from an Ag-anchored Cu-based metal–organic framework for CO2 electroreduction to ethanol

Constructing a bimetallic tandem catalytic system is an effective strategy to promote the CO2 electroreduction (CO2ER) to ethanol. However, it is still difficult to achieve high selectivity for ethanol in the CO2ER because most of bimetallic catalysts lack sufficient biphasic boundaries. Herein, a series of novel CuAg bimetallic catalysts (CuAgx@NC) were prepared by anchoring Ag in the Cu-based metal–organic framework (NH2-Cu-BDC) followed with high-temperature pyrolysis. The results showed that the Ag in the optimal CuAg5@NC catalyst was highly dispersed and anchored on the Cu surface, so the catalyst had sufficient Cu-Ag biphasic boundaries, which resulted in superior C2 products (especially ethanol) selectivities in the CO2ER: the Faradaic efficiency (FE) for ethanol production reached 51.8 % at − 1.0 V, and the FE for total C2 products reached 82.6 % at − 1.2 V, which were higher than those of most previously reported CuAg electrocatalysts. Analyses of the reaction mechanism showed that the appropriate amount of Ag in the NH2-Cu-BDC derivative improved the CO coverage on the catalyst surface, promoted C-C coupling and enhanced the adsorption of key intermediates (such as CH3CHO) in the ethanol pathway.

Efficient Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction with High Selectivity for Ethanol by Synergistically Coupled MXene-Ceria and the Charge Carrier Dynamics.

The primary factors that govern the selectivity and efficacy of CO2 photoreduction are the degree of activation of CO2 on the active surface sites of photocatalysts and charge separation/transfer kinetics. In this context, the rational synthesis of heterostructured MXene-coupled CeO2-based photocatalysts with different loading concentrations of Ti3C2MXene via a one-step hydrothermal approach has been undertaken. These photocatalysts exhibit a shift in X-ray diffraction peaks to higher 2θ values and changes in stretching vibrations of 5 wt % Ti3C2MXene/CeO2(5-TC/Ce) that indicate interaction between Ti3C2MXene and CeO2. Moreover, XPS analysis confirms the presence of the Ce3+/Ce4+ states. A sharp band at 2335 cm-1 observed during the CO2 photoreduction process corresponds to bidentate b-CO32-, which facilitates the adsorption of CO2 at the surface of the catalyst as revealed by the TPD analysis. Furthermore, the Schryvers test and NMR analysis were undertaken to confirm the formaldehyde intermediate formation during CO2 photoreduction to C2H5OH. The decrease in emission intensity, reduced lifetimes (2.68 ns), and lower interfacial resistance, as revealed by PL, TR-PL, and EIS analysis, imply an efficient charge separation and charge transfer in the case of the Ti3C2MXene/CeO2 heterojunction. The decrease in the intensity of peaks in the EPR spectrum in the case of 5-TC/Ce further confirms efficient charge transfer kinetics across the interface. The optimized 5-TC/Ce shows CO2 reduction with a drastically enhanced yield of ethanol on the order of 6127 μmol g-1 at 5 h with 98% selectivity and 7.54% apparent quantum efficiency, which is 6-fold higher than that of ethanol produced by bare CeO2. Herein, CeO2 that acts as a redox couple (Ce3+/Ce4+) when coupled with MXene having a metallic nature that reduces the electron transfer resistance is in unison, enabling an enhanced mobilization of electrons. Thereby, the synergistic coupling of Ti3C2MXene with CeO2 leads to an efficient photoreduction of CO2 under visible light illumination.

Monolayer fullerene network: A promising material for VOCs sensor

Carbon materials hold a great promise for gas sensors due to their diversified dimensionality, tunable structures and easy doping functionalization. Two dimensional polymeric fullerene (2DC60), which was experimentally synthesized recently (Hou et al. Nature 2022, 606, 507), offers a new candidate for gas sensors due to its moderate bandgap and high carrier mobility. Remarkably, the challenging aggregation and restacking issue of conventional 2D materials can be avoided for 2DC60 because of its unique topological structure. In this work, we deliver the first attempt to study the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensing capability of 2DC60 by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Compared with pure C60 nanoclusters, 2DC60 exhibits stronger gas sensing due to formed pore center between C60 nanocages. The quasi-hexagonal 2DC60 (qHP 2DC60) possesses relatively high acetone selectivity while quasi-tetragonal 2DC60 (qTP 2DC60) possesses relatively high ethanol selectivity. B-doping for qHP 2DC60 can significantly facilitate electron transfer and sharply enhance its acetone selectivity. Our theoretical results suggest that 2DC60 is a promising candidate for VOCs sensors, which offers a fresh perspective and opportunity on the application of novel 2DC6.

Cold plasma-activated Cu-Co catalysts with CN vacancies for enhancing CO2 electroreduction to low-carbon alcohol

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction to low-carbon alcohol is a challenging task, especially high selectivity for ethanol, which is mainly limited by the regulation of reaction intermediates and subsequent C–C coupling. A Cu-Co bimetallic catalyst with CN vacancies is successfully developed by H2 cold plasma toward a high-efficiency CO2RR into low-carbon alcohol. The Cu-Co PBA-VCN (Prussian blue analogues with CN vacancies) electrocatalyst yields methanol and ethanol as major products with a total low-carbon alcohol FE of 83.8% (methanol: 39.2%, ethanol: 44.6%) at −0.9 V vs. RHE, excellent durability (100 h) and a small onset potential of −0.21 V. ATR-SEIRAS (attenuated total internal reflection surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy) and DFT (density functional theory) reveal that the steric hindrance of VCN can enhance the CO generation from *COOH, and the C–C coupling can also be increased by CO spillover on uniformly dispersed Cu atoms. This work provides a strategy for the design and preparation of electrocatalysts for CO2RR into low-carbon alcohol products and highlights the impact of catalyst steric hindrance to catalytic performance.

Ceo2 /Cus Nanoplates Electroreduce Co2 to Ethanol withStabilized Cu+ Species.

Copper-based electrocatalysts effectively produce multicarbon (C2+ ) compounds during the electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2 RR). However, big challenges still remain because of the chemically unstable active sites. Here, cerium is used as a self-sacrificing agent to stabilize the Cu+ of CuS, due to the facile Ce3+ /Ce4+ redox. CeO2 -modified CuS nanoplates achieve high ethanol selectivity, with FE up to 54% and FEC2+ ≈ 75% in a flow cell. Moreover, in situ Raman spectroscopy and in situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicate that the stable Cu+ species promote CC coupling step under CO2 RR. Density functional theory calculations further reveal that the stronger * CO adsorption and lower CC coupling energy, which is conducive to the selective generation of ethanol products. This work provides a facile strategy to convert CO2 into ethanol by retaining Cu+ species.

Hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate to ethanol over Mo-doped Cu/SiO2 catalyst

The environmentally-benign hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate to produce ethanol has attracted considerable attention recently, and the yield of which remains a challenge for the commonly used Cu-based catalysts. Herein we reported a molybdenum-doped Cu catalyst synthesized by impregnating Mo on the Cu/SiO2 composite prepared by an ammonia evaporation hydrothermal method, and the Mo3Cu20/SiO2 sample exhibited the best compromise between activity and ethanol selectivity, acting as a robust catalyst (460 h time on stream) with a high ethanol yield (∼94 %). It is demonstrated that Mo doping elevates the amount of surface Cu+ species through the strong interaction between MoOx and Cu species, and the balanced Cu0/Cu+ ratio and enhanced surface acidity resulted by Mo addition afford the high ethanol selectivity through facilitating the dehydroxylation of ethylene glycol, whose activation energy over Mo3Cu20/SiO2 is 79.9 kJ/mol, lower than that of Cu20/SiO2 catalyst (108.1 kJ/mol).

Synergistic effect of urchin-like spherical Cu-based catalyst for enhanced dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation capacity

An urchin-like spherical Cu-based catalyst (Cu/KCC-U) with dendritic fibrous KCC-1 as support was developed using appropriate urea-assisted precipitation approach. Benefit from the radial conical channels, the dispersion of copper nanoparticles and the interaction between copper and support were greatly improved. As a result, the Cu/KCC-U catalyst owned plenty of highly dispersed Cu nanoparticles (4.10 nm), and the Cu+ ratio reached 77.38 %. The urchin-like spherical Cu/KCC-U catalyst, arising from the synergy of highly dispersed active copper species with 77.38 % Cu+ ratio and radial conical channel structure, demonstrated superior catalytic hydrogenation capacity, higher ethanol selectivity, and lower by-product selectivity when compared with reference Cu/KCC-I and Cu/SiO2-U catalysts. More crucially, the intimate interaction between copper species and KCC-1 support fibers enables the stable presence of Cu+ species in the hydrogenation reaction, resulting in the ultra-high stability of the catalyst. This urchin-like Cu/KCC-U provided a new perspective for designing and developing efficient hydrogenation catalysts with great selectivity and stability.

Ti‐doped CeO2 Stabilized Single‐Atom Rhodium Catalyst for Selective and Stable CO2 Hydrogenation to Ethanol

AbstractDevelopment of effective and stable catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation into ethanol remains a challenge. Herein, we report that Rh1/CeTiOx single‐atom catalyst constructed by embedding monoatomic Rh onto Ti‐doped CeO2 support has shown a super high ethanol selectivity (≈99.1 %), record‐breaking turnover frequency (493.1 h−1), and outstanding stability. Synergistic effects of Ti‐doption and monoatomic Rh contribute to this excellent catalytic performance by firstly facilitating oxygen vacancies formation to generate oxygen‐vacancy‐Rh Lewis‐acid‐base pairs, which favor CO2 adsorption and activation, cleavage of C−O bonds in CHxOH* and COOH* into CHx* and CO* species, subsequent C−C coupling and hydrogenation into ethanol, and secondly generating strong Rh−O bond by Ti‐doping‐induced crystal reconstruction, which contributes to striking stability. This work highlights the importance of support elaborating regulation for single‐atom catalyst design to substantially improve the catalytic performance.

Ti-doped CeO2 Stabilized Single-Atom Rhodium Catalyst for Selective and Stable CO2 Hydrogenation to Ethanol.

Development of effective and stable catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation into ethanol remains a challenge. Herein, we report that Rh1 /CeTiOx single-atom catalyst constructed by embedding monoatomic Rh onto Ti-doped CeO2 support has shown a super high ethanol selectivity (≈99.1 %), record-breaking turnover frequency (493.1 h-1 ), and outstanding stability. Synergistic effects of Ti-doption and monoatomic Rh contribute to this excellent catalytic performance by firstly facilitating oxygen vacancies formation to generate oxygen-vacancy-Rh Lewis-acid-base pairs, which favor CO2 adsorption and activation, cleavage of C-O bonds in CHx OH* and COOH* into CHx * and CO* species, subsequent C-C coupling and hydrogenation into ethanol, and secondly generating strong Rh-O bond by Ti-doping-induced crystal reconstruction, which contributes to striking stability. This work highlights the importance of support elaborating regulation for single-atom catalyst design to substantially improve the catalytic performance.

Ga-Promoted CuCo-Based Catalysts for Efficient CO2 Hydrogenation to Ethanol: The Key Synergistic Role of Cu-CoGaOx Interfacial Sites.

Currently, direct catalytic CO2 hydrogenation to produce ethanol is an effective and feasible way for the resource utilization of CO2. However, constructing non-precious metal catalysts with satisfactory activity and desirable ethanol selectivity remains a huge challenge. Herein, we reported gallium-promoted CuCo-based catalysts derived from single-source Cu-Co-Ga-Al layered double hydroxide precursors. It was manifested that the introduction of Ga species could strengthen strong interactions between Cu and Co oxide species, thereby modifying their electronic structures and thus facilitating the formation of abundant metal-oxide interfaces (i.e., Cu0/Cu+-CoGaOx interfaces). Notably, the as-constructed Cu-CoGa catalyst with a Ga:Co molar ratio of 0.4 exhibited a high ethanol selectivity of 23.8% at a 17.8% conversion, along with a high space-time yield of 1.35 mmolEtOH·gcat-1·h-1 for ethanol under mild reaction conditions (i.e., 220 °C, 3 MPa pressure), which outperformed most non-noble metal-based catalysts previously reported. According to the comprehensive structural characterizations and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectra of CO2/CO adsorption and CO2 hydrogenation, it was unambiguously revealed that CHx could be formed at oxygen vacancies of defective CoGaOx species, while CO could be stabilized by Cu+ species, and thus the catalytic synergistic role of Cu0/Cu+-CoGaOx interfacial sites promoted the generation of CHx and CO intermediates to participate in the CHx-CO coupling process and simultaneously inhibited alkylation reactions. The present work points out a promising new strategy for constructing CuCo-based catalysts with favorable interfacial sites for highly efficient CO2 hydrogenation to produce ethanol.

Ag-Modified Porous Perovskite-Type LaFeO3 for Efficient Ethanol Detection.

Perovskite (ABO3) nanosheets with a high carrier mobility have been regarded as the best candidates for gas-sensitive materials arising from their exceptional crystal structure and physical–chemical properties that often exhibit good gas reactivity and stability. Herein, Ag in situ modified porous LaFeO3 nanosheets were synthesized by the simple and efficient graphene oxide (GO)-assisted co-precipitation method which was used for sensitive and selective ethanol detection. The Ag modification ratio was studied, and the best performance was obtained with 5% Ag modification. The Ag/LaFeO3 nanomaterials with high surface areas achieved a sensing response value (Rg/Ra) of 20.9 to 20 ppm ethanol at 180 °C with relatively fast response/recovery times (26/27 s). In addition, they showed significantly high selectivity for ethanol but only a slight response to other interfering gases. The enhanced gas-sensing performance was attributed to the combination of well-designed porous nanomaterials with noble metal sensitization. The new approach is provided for this strategy for the potential application of more P-type ABO3 perovskite-based gas-sensitive devices.

Promoting electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethanol by B/N-doped sp3/sp2 nanocarbon electrode

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to value-added chemicals holds promise for carbon utilization and renewable electricity storage. However, selective CO2 reduction to multi-carbon fuels remains a significant challenge. Here, we report that B/N-doped sp3/sp2 hybridized nanocarbon (BNHC), consisting of ultra-small nanoparticles with a sp3 carbon core covered by a sp2 carbon shell, is an efficient electrocatalyst for electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethanol at relatively low overpotentials. CO2 reduction occurs with a Faradaic efficiency of 58.8%-69.1% for ethanol and acetate production at −0.5 ∼ −0.6 V (vs. RHE), among which 51.6%-56.0% is for ethanol. The high selectivity for ethanol is due to the integrated effect of sp3/sp2 carbon and B/N doping. Both sp3 carbon and B/N doping contribute to enhanced ethanol production with sp2 carbon reducing the overpotential for CO2 reduction to ethanol.

Efficient CO2 Electroreduction to Ethanol by Cu3 Sn Catalyst.

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction to ethanol suggests a potential strategy to reduce the CO2 level and generate valuable liquid fuels, while the development of low-cost catalysts with high activity and selectivity remains a major challenge. In this work, a bimetallic, low-entropy state Cu3 Sn catalyst featuring efficient electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to ethanol is developed. This low-entropy state Cu3 Sn catalyst allows a high Faradaic efficiency of 64% for ethanol production, distinctively from the high-entropy state Cu6 Sn5 catalyst with the main selectivity toward producing formate. At an industry-level current density of -900 mA cm-2 , the Cu3 Sn catalyst exhibited excellent stability for over 48 h in a membrane-electrode based electrolyzer. Theoretical calculations indicate that the high ethanol selectivity on Cu3 Sn is attributed to its enhanced adsorption of several key intermediates in the ethanol production pathway. Moreover, the life-cycle assessment reveals that using the Cu3 Sn electrocatalyst, an electrochemical CO2 -to-ethanol electrolysis system powered by wind electricity can lead to a global warming potential of 120 kgCO2-eq for producing 1 ton of ethanol, corresponding to a 55% reduction of carbon emissions compared to the conventional bio-ethanol process.