Anovelgas-phaseelectrocatalyticcellcontainingalow-temperatureprotonexchangemembrane(PEM)wasdevelopedtoelectrochemicallyconvertCO2intoorganiccompounds.TwodifferentCu-basedcathodecatalysts(CuandCu-C)werepreparedbyphysicalvapordepositionmethod(sputtering)andsubsequentlyemployedforthegas-phaseelectroreductionofCO2atdifferenttemperatures(70-90℃).ThepreparedelectrodesCuandCu-CwerecharacterizedbyX-raydiffraction(XRD),X-rayphotoemissionspectroscopy(XPS)andscanningelectronmicroscopy(SEM).Asrevealed,CuispartiallyoxidizedonthesurfaceofthesamplesandtheCuandCu-Ccathodiccatalystswerecomprisedofaporous,continuous,andhomogeneousfilmwithnanocrystallineCuwithagrainsizeof16and8nm,respectively.Theinfluenceoftheappliedcurrentandtemperatureontheelectro-catalyticactivityandselectivityofthesematerialswasinvestigated.Amongthetwoinvestigatedelectrodes,thepureCucatalystfilmshowedthehighestCO2specificelectrocatalyticreductionratesandhigherselectivitytomethanolformationcomparedtotheCu-Celectrode,whichwasattributedtothehigherparticlesizeoftheformerandlowerCuO/Curatio.Theobtainedresultsshowpotentialinterestforthepossibleuseofelectrical「enewableenergyforthetransformationofCO2intovaluableproductsusinglowmetalloadingCubasedelectrodes(0.5mgCucm2)preparedbysputtering.
