Patent ID: 8597488

Claim:
A method for reducing carbon dioxide, the method comprising: a step (a) of preparing an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a working electrode, a counter electrode and a vessel, the vessel stores an electrolytic solution, the working electrode contains, as a catalyst, only at least one nitride selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, tantalum nitride, molybdenum nitride and iron nitride, the electrolytic solution contains carbon dioxide, the vessel comprises a solid electrolyte membrane, the solid electrolyte membrane is interposed between the working electrode and the counter electrode, the working electrode is in contact with the electrolytic solution, and the counter electrode is in contact with the electrolytic solution; and a step (b) of applying a negative voltage and a positive voltage to the working electrode and the counter electrode, respectively, to reduce the carbon dioxide.