(445b) A Continuous, Integrated Electrochemical System for CO2 Capture and Valorization

The heavy reliance on energies derived from fossil fuels has led to an increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration air by over 40% compared to the pre-industrial era. The steady increment of CO₂ has led to a heavy contribution to global warming and disturbance to flora and fauna. Therefore, it is urgent to endorse a carbon-neutral process. Integrated CO₂ capture and production of value-added products is an attractive approach for leveraging monetary benefits from a carbon-neutral process. Herein, we report the development of a continuous, integrated electrochemical system for capturing CO₂ and valorization to produce economically significant fuels and products. In an Integrated CO₂ Capture and Valorization (ICCV) process, the CO₂ capture occurs in a migration-assisted moisture gradient (MAMG) unit where CO₂ is bound with an organic liquid and transported to an aqueous reservoir in the presence of an electric field. The CO₂ valorization process occurs in an electrochemical CO₂ reduction unit that utilizes a copper mesh catalyst and aqueous reservoir from the CO₂ capture unit to produce value-added fuels and products such as H₂, CH₄, CO, C₂H₄. Herein, we report the effect of impurities in flue gas such as SO_x and NO_x, operating current densities for electrochemical CO₂ capture and electrochemical reduction on the ICCV system. Since these parameters significantly impact the faradaic efficiencies of the electrochemical reduction reaction, a complete product distribution from the long-term operation of ICCV is studied using HPLC and GC.