(73g) Study of Novel Catalysts for the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 Using a Microscale Flow Reactor

Sichao Ma ^1,2, Claire E. Tornow ², Michael R. Thorson ¹, Andrew A. Gewirth ² and Paul J. A. Kenis ¹, (1) Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, (2) Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL

Section: Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division

Session: 20015 Catalysis for CO2 Conversion

Extensive use of fossil fuels has led to environmental problems, such as air pollution and an increase in atmospheric levels of CO₂, which is hypothesized to contribute to global warming.  Renewable energy sources that are less taxing on the environment need to be pursued to replace the energy currently produced from dwindling supplies of fossil fuels [1]. However, renewable sources like wind and solar are intermittent, requiring load leveling strategies and/or energy storage at large scales, both of which are non-trivial at this time.

Electrochemical reduction of CO₂ into value-added products provides a means to store intermittent renewable energy and simultaneously recycle CO₂ as an energy carrier, thereby reducing CO₂ accumulation in the atmosphere [2]. The catalyst used determines overpotential, rate, and selectivity for the CO₂ conversion process.  Previously we have developed an electrolyte-flexible microfluidic platform to characterize catalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO₂ under realistic reactor conditions. An external reference electrode allows for individual analysis of cathode and anode performance [3]. Flexible control over the electrolyte facilitates testing of novel electrolytes with regard to electrode performance. Therefore, this microfluidic configuration allows for in-situ characterization of novel catalysts by immobilizing a catalyst on a gas diffusion electrode and testing it under realistic reactor conditions.  Here, we will present our work on the investigation of novel CO₂reduction catalysts, including the characterization and testing of novel transition metal-based catalysts that exhibit high current densities despite a low metal loading. In fact, some of these catalysts outperform some of the current catalysts, such as Ag nanoparticles.

[1] Hori, Y., in Handbook of Fuel Cells, ed. Vielstich, W., Gasteiger, H. A., Lamm A., 2003John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

[2] Whipple, D. T., and Kenis, P. J. A., J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2010, 1 (24), 3451

[3] Whipple, D. T., Finke, E. C., and Kenis, P. J. A., Electrochem. & Solid-State Lett., 2010, 13 (9), B 109-B111