(232b) CO Conversion to Selected Chemicals Using Electrochemically Generated CO from CO2

Dioxide Materials has developed new electrochemical cell technology capable of generating CO from the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ at high current density and Faradic efficiency. The electrochemical cell operates in a current density range of 200 to 600 mA/cm² at voltages in the 2.9 – 3.2 V range. The conversion selectivity of CO₂ to CO is in the range of 95% to 98%.

The electrochemical cell utilizes a two-compartment design, consisting of an anode and cathode compartment that are separated by a special anion exchange membrane. The anode consists of a GDE utilizing a nanoparticle IrO₂ catalyst deposited onto a carbon fiber paper support and using a potassium bicarbonate anolyte solution that is recirculated in anode flow field. The cathode utilizes a nanoparticle Ag-based catalyst in combination with a Sustainion^TM ionomer that is deposited on a GDE carbon paper cathode to efficiently reduce the CO₂feed to CO at a low cathodic overpotential.

The special membrane utilized in the cell design is a highly conductive Sustainionâ„¢ X-37 anion exchange membrane, developed by Dioxide Materials, which allows the transport of OH^- and HCO₃^-ions from the cathode to the anode.

The surprisingly high conversion performance and current density of this electrochemical CO cell at low voltages allows us to consider the use of this technology, when scaled-up, in potentially producing selected renewable chemicals when operating on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear.

In this presentation, we will discuss the details of the new electrochemical cell technology in addition to identifying the production of potential renewable chemicals such as methanol and acetic acid using the cell CO product.