Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 in Proton Exchange Membrane Reactor: The Function of Buffer Layer

Electroreduction of CO2 is performed in proton exchange membrane reactors (PEMRs) with a buffer layer to investigate the critical factors that determine the cell performance. The buffer layer has the function of ensuring sufficient cathode potential (above the potential threshold of Cu, Sn, and In catalysts at around −1.3 to −1.4 V) compared with the limited cathode potential in the conventional PEMR, therefore a high hydrogenation rate (i.e., 89.8 nmol cm–2s–1 at −1.8 V) is achieved. The buffer layer exhibits good ability to suppress H2 evolution, however, the current efficiency of HCOOH decreases by over 50% after the buffer solution is saturated with protons (after 10 h reaction). Improving CO2 mass transfer at the reaction interface by adding tetrahydrofuran (THF) in a buffer layer or zeolitic imidazolate framework with a leaf-like morphology (ZIF-L) in the catalyst layer, the current efficiency of HCOOH can be increased by around 10–15%.

[1]  Angel Irabien,et al.  Cu2O-loaded gas diffusion electrodes for the continuous electrochemical reduction of CO2 to methanol , 2016 .

[2]  Wei Chen,et al.  Coupling hydrogen separation with butanone hydrogenation in an electrochemical hydrogen pump with sulfonated poly (phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) membrane , 2016 .

[3]  S. Qiao,et al.  Recent Advances in Inorganic Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts for Reduction of Carbon Dioxide , 2016, Advanced materials.

[4]  Wei Chen,et al.  A bilateral electrochemical hydrogen pump reactor for 2-propanol dehydrogenation and phenol hydrogenation , 2016 .

[5]  Jingguang G. Chen,et al.  Catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2 for synthesis of CO, methanol and hydrocarbons: challenges and opportunities , 2016 .

[6]  Yawei Li,et al.  Heterogeneous catalytic conversion of CO2: a comprehensive theoretical review. , 2015, Nanoscale.

[7]  S. Sen,et al.  Electrochemical reduction of CO2 with clathrate hydrate electrolytes and copper foam electrodes , 2015 .

[8]  Jae Kwang Lee,et al.  Sustainable production of formic acid by electrolytic reduction of gaseous carbon dioxide , 2015 .

[9]  George A. Olah,et al.  Electrochemical CO2 Reduction: Recent Advances and Current Trends , 2014 .

[10]  N. Wagner,et al.  Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to formate at high current density using gas diffusion electrodes , 2014, Journal of Applied Electrochemistry.

[11]  Z. Xiao,et al.  A novel electrolysis cell for CO2 reduction to CO in ionic liquid/organic solvent electrolyte , 2014 .

[12]  Jingjie Wu,et al.  Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide: IV dependence of the Faradaic efficiency and current density on the microstructure and thickness of tin electrode , 2014 .

[13]  Etosha R. Cave,et al.  Insights into the electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ on metallic silver surfaces. , 2014, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[14]  I. Chorkendorff,et al.  Quantification of zinc atoms in a surface alloy on copper in an industrial-type methanol synthesis catalyst. , 2014, Angewandte Chemie.

[15]  Peter Strasser,et al.  Particle size effects in the catalytic electroreduction of CO₂ on Cu nanoparticles. , 2014, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[16]  Q. Ge,et al.  In 2 O 3 as a promising catalyst for CO 2 utilization: A case study with reverse water gas shift over In 2 O 3 , 2014 .

[17]  Jingguang G. Chen,et al.  A selective and efficient electrocatalyst for carbon dioxide reduction , 2014, Nature Communications.

[18]  Jiujun Zhang,et al.  A review of catalysts for the electroreduction of carbon dioxide to produce low-carbon fuels. , 2014, Chemical Society reviews.

[19]  T. Meyer,et al.  Nanostructured tin catalysts for selective electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to formate. , 2014, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[20]  Jingjie Wu,et al.  Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide III. The role of oxide layer thickness on the performance of Sn electrode in a full electrochemical cell , 2014 .

[21]  Jonas Baltrusaitis,et al.  Status and perspectives of CO2 conversion into fuels and chemicals by catalytic, photocatalytic and electrocatalytic processes , 2013 .

[22]  Huanting Wang,et al.  A two-dimensional zeolitic imidazolate framework with a cushion-shaped cavity for CO2 adsorption. , 2013, Chemical communications.

[23]  G. Centi,et al.  Catalysis for CO2 conversion: a key technology for rapid introduction of renewable energy in the value chain of chemical industries , 2013 .

[24]  Wei-Min Ren,et al.  Binuclear chromium–salan complex catalyzed alternating copolymerization of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides , 2013 .

[25]  J. Benziger,et al.  Comparison of Pt and Pd catalysts for hydrogen pump separation from reformate , 2012 .

[26]  Thomas F. Jaramillo,et al.  New insights into the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide on metallic copper surfaces , 2012 .

[27]  H. Jia,et al.  Thermodynamics and kinetics of CO2, CO, and H+ binding to the metal centre of CO2 reduction catalysts. , 2012, Chemical Society reviews.

[28]  G. Centi,et al.  Can we afford to waste carbon dioxide? Carbon dioxide as a valuable source of carbon for the production of light olefins. , 2011, ChemSusChem.

[29]  Siglinda Perathoner,et al.  Electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 to long carbon-chain hydrocarbons , 2007 .

[30]  Anne C. Co,et al.  A review of the aqueous electrochemical reduction of CO2 to hydrocarbons at copper , 2006 .

[31]  Akihiko Kudo,et al.  Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide under high pressure on various electrodes in an aqueous electrolyte , 1995 .

[32]  J. Benziger,et al.  Effects of hydrophobicity of diffusion layer on the electroreduction of biomass derivatives in polymer electrolyte membrane reactors. , 2015, ChemSusChem.

[33]  Jingjie Wu,et al.  Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide II. Design, Assembly, and Performance of Low Temperature Full Electrochemical Cells , 2013 .

[34]  X. Yue,et al.  Alternative Cathode Material for CO2 Reduction by High Temperature Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells , 2012 .

[35]  F. Ke,et al.  Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide I. Effects of the Electrolyte on the Selectivity and Activity with Sn Electrode , 2012 .