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Liquid–Solid Boundaries Dominate Activity of CO2 Reduction on Gas-Diffusion Electrodes

Journal Article · · ACS Catalysis
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [2];  [1];  [4]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  2. Delft Univ. of Technology (Netherlands)
  3. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
  4. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Delft Univ. of Technology (Netherlands); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Electrochemical CO2 electrolysis to produce hydrocarbon fuels or material feedstocks offers a renewable alternative to fossilized carbon sources. Gas-diffusion electrodes (GDEs), composed of solid electrocatalysts on porous supports positioned near the interface of a conducting electrolyte and CO2 gas, have been able to demonstrate the substantial current densities needed for future commercialization. These higher reaction rates have often been ascribed to the presence of a three-phase interface, where solid, liquid, and gas provide electrons, water, and CO2, respectively. Conversely, mechanistic work on electrochemical reactions implicates a fully two-phase reaction interface, where gas molecules reach the electrocatalyst’s surface by dissolution and diffusion through the electrolyte. Because the discrepancy between an atomistic three-phase versus two-phase reaction has substantial implications for the design of catalysts, gas-diffusion layers, and cell architectures, the nuances of nomenclatures and governing phenomena surrounding the three-phase-region require clarification. In this paper we outline the macro, micro, and atomistic phenomena occurring within a gas-diffusion electrode to provide a focused discussion on the architecture of the often-discussed three-phase region for CO2 electrolysis. From this information, we comment on the outlook for the broader CO2 electroreduction GDE cell architecture.
Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
The Dutch Research Council (NWO); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1755734
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA--5900-77219; MainId:26165; UUID:cb9df62a-2b11-4b34-b3c2-9c529631dcfa; MainAdminID:19062
Journal Information:
ACS Catalysis, Journal Name: ACS Catalysis Journal Issue: 23 Vol. 10; ISSN 2155-5435
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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