Electroreduction of nitrate and carbon dioxide on copper electrodes: a mechanistic study

Abstract

In this thesis we have discussed several parameters that affect the electrochemical conversion of enviromentaly harmful molecules such as nitrates and carbon dioxide to more valuable and less deleterious compounds, in order to cast light onto the mechanism of the reaction to achieve an efficient and selective system.

The thesis is divided in two main parts, the reduction of nitrates(chapter 2) and the mechanistic study of CO2 conversion to different products such as ethanol(chapter 3), ethylene(chapters 4 and 5) and propylene carbonate (chapter 6).