Overview

• A Nature Catalysis study published on July 17 confirms that combining fluorine-doped nickel catalysts with pulsed potential electrolysis converts CO₂ into long, branched hydrocarbons.
• Pulsed potential electrolysis varies electrical bias in cycles to enhance branch-to-linear ratios for hydrocarbons with five or more carbon atoms by more than 400%.
• Fluorine incorporation stabilizes nickel’s oxidation state under reducing conditions, enabling extended carbon-chain growth beyond the limits of copper systems.
• Mechanistic analysis shows nickel surfaces facilitate oxygen removal and asymmetric coupling of adsorbed CO intermediates, preventing premature alcohol formation.
• The electrochemical platform offers a scalable route to on-demand, sustainable aviation fuels and chemical precursors derived from recycled carbon dioxide.