Electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide

Thesis/Dissertation · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6804741

Hsien, C C

An electrogenerative technique, involving the reduction of CO/sub 2/, has been investigated for the synthesis of formic acid, formaldehyde and methanol. Such synthetic fuels are considered as possible alternates to the use of petroleum-based fuels. The electrogenerative reduction of carbon dioxide on catalytic electrodes Pt and Pt-Sn was accomplished with significantly lower energy requirements relative to the conventional electrochemical reduction. In addition, because of the different potential regions at which electrocatalytic reduction of CO/sub 2/ occurs, and since the major product formed depends on the potential, the possiblity exists to form certain products selectively using electrocatalytic reduction. Particular attention was paid to the poisoning effect of the chemisorbed intermediates formed in the adsorption of carbon dioxide on plantinum. The accumulation of a poisoning residue on the plantinum surface leads to a large drop in a catalytic activity. Electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide was investigated at standard pressure (1 atm.), and room temperature (25/sup 0/C) in a three-compartment all-Teflon electrochemical cell. The effects of this type of electrocatalyst (Pt, Pt-Sn) and operating conditions, specifically the cathode potential, the electrode and carbon dioxide concentration, on the reaction rate and product selectivities were examined. The formation of formic acid improves with decreasing hydronium ion concentration of the electrolyte. After a 3 hour run, the total yields of HCOOH and CH/sub 3/OH were very low.

• OSTI ID: 6804741
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
CARBON DIOXIDE
REDUCTION
FORMALDEHYDE
SYNTHESIS
FORMIC ACID
METHANOL FUELS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
ELECTROCATALYSTS
PRODUCTION
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALDEHYDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CATALYSTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
FUELS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
090221* - Alcohol Fuels- Chemical Synthesis- (1976-1989)