Hydrogenation of carbon dioxide on copper in a H+ conducting membrane-reactor

The CO2–H2 reaction was studied at 823–1023 K in a double-chamber proton conducting cell-reactor. The proton conductor was a strontia–zirconia–yttria (SZY) perovskite of the form: SrZr0.90Y0.10O3−α. The working (cathodic) electrode was a polycrystalline copper film. In the catalytic mode of operation, the reactants were gaseous mixtures of CO2 and H2 diluted in He and in the electrocatalytic mode, mixtures of CO2 and He were introduced over the cathode while hydrogen was supplied as H+. The catalytic activity and selectivity of H+ is compared to that of gaseous H2.