Visualization of CO₂ electrolysis using optical coherence tomography

Electrolysers offer an appealing technology for conversion of CO₂ into high-value chemicals. However, there are few tools available to track the reactions that occur within electrolysers. Here we report an electrolysis optical coherence tomography platform to visualize the chemical reactions occurring in a CO₂ electrolyser. This platform was designed to capture three-dimensional images and videos at high spatial and temporal resolutions. We recorded 12 h of footage of an electrolyser containing a porous electrode separated by a membrane, converting a continuous feed of liquid KHCO₃ to reduce CO₂ into CO at applied current densities of 50–800 mA cm⁻². This platform visualized reactants, intermediates and products, and captured the strikingly dynamic movement of the cathode and membrane components during electrolysis. It also linked CO production to regions of the electrolyser in which CO₂ was in direct contact with both membrane and catalyst layers. These results highlight how this platform can be used to track reactions in continuous flow electrochemical reactors.