Recovering carbon losses in CO2 electrolysis using a solid electrolyte reactor

Kim, Jung ‘Timothy’; Zhu, Peng; Chen, Feng-Yang; Wu, Zhen-Yu; Cullen, David A.; Wang, Haotian

doi:10.1038/s41929-022-00763-w

Recovering carbon losses in CO₂ electrolysis using a solid electrolyte reactor

Journal Article · Mon Apr 18 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Nature Catalysis

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-022-00763-w· OSTI ID:1875342

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Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)

The practical implementation of electrochemical CO₂ reduction technology is greatly challenged by notable CO₂ crossover to the anode side, where the crossed-over CO₂ is mixed with O₂, via interfacial carbonate formation in traditional CO₂ electrolysers. Here we report a porous solid electrolyte reactor strategy to efficiently recover these carbon losses. Furthermore, by creating a permeable and ion-conducting sulfonated polymer electrolyte between cathode and anode as a buffer layer, the crossover carbonate can combine with protons generated from the anode to re-form CO₂ gas for reuse without mixing with anodic O₂. Using a silver nanowire catalyst for CO₂ reduction to CO, we demonstrated up to 90% recovery of the crossover CO₂ in an ultrahigh gas purity form (>99%), while delivering over 90% CO Faradaic efficiency under a 200 mA cm^-2 current. A high continuous CO₂ conversion efficiency of over 90% was achieved by recycling the recovered CO₂ to the CO₂ input stream.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC); Welch Foundation

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1875342

Journal Information:: Nature Catalysis, Journal Name: Nature Catalysis Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 5; ISSN 2520-1158

Publisher:: Springer NatureCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Recovering carbon losses in CO2 electrolysis using a solid electrolyte reactor

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Recovering carbon losses in CO₂ electrolysis using a solid electrolyte reactor