P-01 Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 in ionic liquids using catalytic graphene-metalloporphyrin systems Asaf Nissim [1] , Eli Korin [2] , Israel Zilbermann [1] , Armand Bettelheim [2] [1] Nuclear Center NEGEV, POB 9003 Beer Sheva, Israel [2] Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben – Gurion University of the Negev, Beer – Sheva, Israel asaf73@gmail.com It is a highly desirable goal to convert CO 2 into fuel precursors such as carbon monoxide, ethylene, methanol or formic acid at low overpotentials. CO 2 electrochemical reduction is one way to achieve these goals. Most of CO 2 reduction research done until now uses combined systems of aqueous media and metal electrodes, and involves adsorption mechanisms. However, the well known high-energy CO 2 - • radical anion formation (-1.9V vs. NHE) which is the rate limiting step, in addition to the presence of a competitive HER (Hydrogen Evolution Reaction) leads to low selectivity CO 2 reduction. These, combined with a relative low solubility of CO 2 in aqueous electrolytes are major drawbacks of this reduction path. Another approach to CO 2 reduction uses Co(ΙΙ)/Co(Ι) porphyrin redox couples as catalysts, based on a mechanism that is believed to involve binding of the CO 2 to the reduced metalloporphyrin. Cobalt porphyrins were investigated as homogeneous catalysts for the reduction (in both aqueous and non-aqueous (organic) media) and were found to be effective. Additionally, graphene/metalloporphyrin systems have been studied with regard to oxygen reduction reaction, using graphene as an electron supplier. Our group showed recently the use of this system with regard to water splitting which is one aspect of artificial photosynthesis. This system is a good candidate as a catalyst for another aspect of artificial photosynthesis: CO 2 reduction. Nevertheless, the study of the couple Co(ΙΙ)/Co(Ι) porphyrin in aqueous media is problematic because of the H 2 O reduction potential which is in close vicinity. Using imidazolium based ionic liquids as electrolytes instead of H 2 O solves part of the problems mentioned above. EMIM ethyl sulfate ionic liquid is used in the present research. The imidazolium cations form a stabilized intermediate complex (ion pairing) with the CO 2 - • radical anion, (which leads to a lower overpotential by decreasing the energy barrier for the CO 2 reduction). The sulfate containing anions make the ILs hydrophobic and more stable (compared to ILs with PF 6 and BF 4 anions, usually used in CO 2 reduction studies). This in addition to their high CO 2 solubility and selectivity make them good medium candidates in trying to find an efficient system for CO 2 reduction.. Results concerning the use of graphene/metalloporphyrin systems for the catalytic reduction of CO2 in Emim Ethylsulfate will be presented.