Author Identifier
Kurt Macri: http://orcid.org/0009-0000-8477-4801
Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Thesis - ECU Access Only
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Master of Science by Research
School
School of Science
First Supervisor
Magdalena Wajrak
Second Supervisor
Duncan Wild
Third Supervisor
Xiaomin Xu
Fourth Supervisor
Zongping Shao
Abstract
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a significant contributor to climate change in the world today. The catalytic electrochemical reduction of CO2 (eCO2RR) to produce value-added molecules is emerging as a promising strategy to mitigate atmospheric CO2 emissions. For this process, the selection of an appropriate catalyst is crucial in determining product selectivity. Hence, there is substantial research dedicated to identifying catalysts that preferentially produce specific value-added molecules. Copper has been identified as having strong selectivity towards ethylene production. This study examined the viability of the radio frequency (RF) sputtering technique as a novel approach to the development of copper catalysts to selectively produce ethylene gas using H-type electrochemical cell. Key variables, including substrate type, film thickness, substrate temperature, and co-sputtering with other metals were investigated to optimize the efficiency of copper sputtered catalysts for ethylene synthesis. The results demonstrate that the RF sputtering method for catalyst fabrication is effective in promoting ethylene production, achieving a Faradaic efficiency of almost to 20% (19.5%) at -2400 mV vs Ag/AgCl with a 60 nm copper sputtered film at RF = 150 W on a gas diffusion electrode paper substrate held at room temperature.
DOI
10.25958/nz11-5r73
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 30th August 2026
Recommended Citation
Macri, K. (2025). Synthesis of catalysts using radio frequency magnetron sputtering for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethylene gas. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/nz11-5r73