Now, Xu Lu and co-workers report an advanced home-made high-pressure MEA electrolyzer, integrated with a single-atom indium-alloyed copper (In1/Cu) catalyst on the cathode side, for converting HP-cCO2 into ethylene under 20 bar. While some moderate-pressure MEA systems (<10 bar) have previously been developed for CO2-to-CO conversion, this work enables direct ethylene production (C2+) from HP-cCO2 at higher pressures.
Notably, the high-pressure MEA system demonstrates exceptional operational stability, enhanced Faradaic efficiency and elevated partial current density for ethylene production, outperforming many conventional electrochemical CO2 reduction systems operating under ambient conditions. Following the recapture of residual CO2 from the product stream, the system delivers ethylene with 99.9% purity, meeting industrial standards for commercial utilization. Furthermore, high-pressure in situ Raman spectroscopy reveals that the elevated pressure shifts bicarbonate formation from the backside of the gas diffusion layer to the catalyst–membrane interface, thereby mitigating salt precipitation and enhancing long-term operational stability. Complementary theoretical calculations combined with operando characterization demonstrate that elevated pressures alter the *CO adsorption geometry and enhance CO2 surface coverage, thereby promoting the C–C coupling pathway leading to ethylene formation.
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