Electrochemical production of synthesis gas from carbon dioxide

A method for electrochemical production of synthesis gas from water and carbon dioxide, comprising the steps of:

• (A) bubbling carbon dioxide into a solution of an electrolyte and a catalyst in a divided electrochemical cell, wherein
• (i) said divided electrochemical cell comprises an anode in a first cell compartment and a cathode in a second cell compartment, wherein said cathode comprises an electrode material present as particles or nanoparticles loaded onto a substrate,
• where the electrode material is selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Ag, Cd, C, Co, Cr, Cu, Cu alloys, Ga, Hg, In, Ir, Mo, Nb, Ni, Ni alloys, Ni—Fe alloys, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Sn, Sn alloys, Ti, V, W, Zn, stainless steel, austenitic steel, terrific steel, duplex steel, martensitic steel, Nichrome, elgiloy, degenerately doped p-Si, degenerately doped p-Si:As and degenerately doped p-Si:B, and wherein the substrate comprises graphite, carbon fiber or another conductor,
• (ii) said carbon dioxide is reduced at the cathode into a plurality of components, said components comprising carbon monoxide, and the water is oxidized into protons and oxygen at the anode and said protons from the oxidized water are reduced to hydrogen gas at the cathode;
• and
• (B) separating the synthesis gas from the solution.