Electrocatalytic process for carbon dioxide conversion

1. A process for making a chemical reaction product, comprising:

combining a Catalytically Active Element and Helper Catalyst in the presence of CO 2 , wherein the Catalytically Active Element is a metal in the form of supported or unsupported particles or flakes with an average size between 0.6 nm and 100 nm;

allowing a reaction to proceed to produce a reaction product; and

applying electrical energy to said reaction to achieve electrochemical conversion of said reactant to said reaction product;

wherein a substance S is identifiable as a Helper Catalyst for an electrochemical reaction R that is catalyzed by a Catalytically Active Element M by applying a test comprising:

filling a three-electrode electrochemical cell with an electrolyte E suitable for effectuating reaction R, said electrochemical cell comprising a working electrode, a counter electrode and a reference electrode;

electrically connecting said Catalytically Active Element M to said working electrode and electrically connecting said working electrode to said counter electrode and to a source of electrical energy, thereby forming an electrical circuit;

employing said reference electrode to measure a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) potential in said electrolyte E;

loading at least one reactant for reaction R into said cell;

measuring a cyclic voltammogram for reaction R to identify a potential of a peak associated with reaction R;

calculating a difference V1 between RHE and an onset potential of said peak associated with reaction R;

calculating a difference V1A between RHE and a maximum potential of said peak associated with reaction R;

adding to said electrolyte E between 0.0001% and 99.9999% by weight of said Helper Catalyst;

measuring an RHE potential in electrolyte E with said added Helper Catalyst;

measuring a cyclic voltammogram of reaction R with said added Helper Catalyst;

calculating a difference V2 between RHE and an onset potential of said peak associated with reaction R;

calculating a difference V2A between RHE and a maximum potential of said peak associated with reaction R;

determining whether V2<V1 or V2A<V1A at any concentration of said Helper Catalyst between 0.0001% and 99.9999%; and

identifying substance S as said Helper Catalyst for reaction R at concentrations at which V2<V1 or V2A<V1A.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said Catalytically Active Element is selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Sn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Al, Si, In, Tl, Pb, Bi, Sb, Te, U, Sm, Tb, La, Ce, and Nd.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said Catalytically Active Element is selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Fe, Co, Ru and Rh.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said Helper Catalyst comprises at least one of an organic cation and an organic anion.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said Helper Catalyst is selected from the group consisting of phosphines, imidazoliums, pyridiniums, pyrrolidiniums, phosphoniums, sulfoniums, prolinates, methioninates, cholines, choline chloride, choline bromide, and choline iodide.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the reaction products comprise at least one of CO, HCO − , H 2 CO, (HCO 2 ) − , H 2 CO 2 , CH 3 OH, CH 4 , C 2 H 4 , CH 3 CH 2 OH, CH 3 COO − , CH 3 COOH, C 2 H 6 , (COOH) 2 , (COO − ) 2 , and CF 3 COOH.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said reaction product is one of formic acid (H 2 CO 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO).

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the Catalytically Active Element is electrically connected to an electrode of an electrochemical device.