Activation of light alkanes is the first step in manufacturing ubiquitous chemical products. Thermal dehydrogenations are inherently equilibrium limited, which necessitates energy- and carbon-intensive separations processes at the industrial scale, contributing significantly to global CO2 production. Low temperature electrochemical dehydrogenations can potentially avoid such challenges, which could result in drastic decarbonization. In order to achieve this, active and selective electrocatalysts must be developed. Here we use electrochemical mass spectrometry to understand the adsorption and reaction properties of light alkanes on smooth metal electrodes to gain insights on promising dehydrogenation electrocatalyst design principles. This enables us to quantify kinetic parameters that are otherwise difficult to measure with traditional electroanalytical methods. We also employ specific reactor designs to overcome the inherent challenges of alkane solubility in aqueous electrolytes at room temperature. Overall, this work established the fundamental and applied principles needed to activate alkanes electrocatalytically at low temperature.
