Bipolar Membranes Inhibit Product Crossover in CO 2 Electrolysis Cells

Li, Yuguang C.; Yan, Zhifei; Hitt, Jeremy; Wycisk, Ryszard; Pintauro, Peter N.; Mallouk, Thomas E.

doi:10.1002/adsu.201700187

Bipolar Membranes Inhibit Product Crossover in CO ₂ Electrolysis Cells

Journal Article · Fri Mar 02 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Advanced Sustainable Systems

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/adsu.201700187· OSTI ID:1423488

Li, Yuguang C. ^[1]; Yan, Zhifei ^[1]; Hitt, Jeremy ^[1]; Wycisk, Ryszard ^[2]; Pintauro, Peter N. ^[2]; ^[1]

Department of Chemistry The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Vanderbilt University Nashville TN 37235 USA

Abstract

As electrocatalysts and electrolyzer designs for CO ₂ reduction continue to improve in terms of current density and product selectivity, product crossover from the cathode to the anode is a loss mechanism that is relatively unexplored. The crossover rates of formate, methanol, and ethanol, which are desirable CO ₂ reduction products, are compared in electrolyzers containing anion‐exchange membranes and bipolar membranes. The crossover of formate, an anionic CO ₂ reduction product, occurs by electromigration through anion‐exchange membranes, and its rate increases linearly with current density. Crossover of electroneutral methanol or ethanol through anion‐exchange membranes occurs to a lesser extent through both diffusion and electroosmotic drag, the latter increasing with current density in anion‐exchange membranes. In contrast, the outward fluxes of protons and hydroxide ions generated in bipolar membranes inhibit the crossover of both anionic and neutral products, even with membranes that contain high surface area junctions. Calculated electroosmotic drag coefficients for each of the neutral products confirm the better performance of bipolar membranes in terms of product losses.

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-07ER15911

OSTI ID:: 1423488

Journal Information:: Advanced Sustainable Systems, Journal Name: Advanced Sustainable Systems Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 2; ISSN 2366-7486

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Germany

Language:: English

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