Electrochemical reduction of CO2 in a proton conducting solid oxide electrolyser

Synthetic hydrocarbon fuels from CO2/H2O are proposed as alternatives to hydrogen as an energy carrier to enable a carbon neutral energy cycle, given their inherent advantages of high H/C ratio and convenience of storage and transportation. Here we demonstrate the successful electrochemical reduction of CO2 into CO and CH4 in a proton conducting solid oxide electrolyser based on BaCe0.5Zr0.3Y0.16Zn0.04O3 − δ (BCZYZ) electrolyte and a composite iron/iron oxide cathode. The production of CH4 and CO reaches 0.07 and 3.25 ml min−1 cm−2, respectively, with 1.5 A cm−2 at 614 °C. The overall CO2 conversion rate in the electrochemical reduction process is 65%.

[1]  John T. S. Irvine,et al.  An Efficient Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based upon Single‐Phase Perovskites , 2005 .

[2]  N. Minh.  Ceramic Fuel Cells , 1993 .

[3]  John T. S. Irvine,et al.  Efficient Reduction of CO2 in a Solid Oxide Electrolyzer , 2008 .

[4]  J. Irvine,et al.  A Stable, Easily Sintered Proton‐ Conducting Oxide Electrolyte for Moderate‐Temperature Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers , 2006 .

[5]  S. Singhal,et al.  Advanced anodes for high-temperature fuel cells , 2004, Nature materials.

[6]  J. O’Brien,et al.  Progress in high-temperature electrolysis for hydrogen production using planar SOFC technology , 2005 .

[7]  R. T. Yang,et al.  New sorbents for hydrogen storage by hydrogen spillover – a review , 2008 .

[8]  J. Irvine,et al.  Catalytic properties of the proton conductor materials: Sr3CaZr0.5Ta1.5O8.75, BaCe0.9Y0.1O2.95 and Ba3Ca1.18Nb1.82O8.73 for reverse water gas shift , 2007 .

[9]  Wuzong Zhou,et al.  Disruption of extended defects in solid oxide fuel cell anodes for methane oxidation , 2006, Nature.

[10]  C. M. White,et al.  Separation and Capture of CO2 from Large Stationary Sources and Sequestration in Geological Formations—Coalbeds and Deep Saline Aquifers , 2003, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association.

[11]  T. Norby,et al.  Proton conduction in rare-earth ortho-niobates and ortho-tantalates , 2006 .

[12]  E. Fujita,et al.  Molecular approaches to the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide for solar fuels. , 2009, Accounts of chemical research.

[13]  P. Colomban.  Latest Developments in Proton Conductors , 1999 .

[14]  D. Dong,et al.  A modified suspension spray combined with particle gradation method for preparation of protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells , 2008 .

[15]  M. Hirscher,et al.  Metal hydride materials for solid hydrogen storage: a review , 2007 .

[16]  Ibrahim Dincer,et al.  Hydrogen as a renewable and sustainable solution in reducing global fossil fuel consumption , 2008 .

[17]  Chunshan Song.  Global challenges and strategies for control, conversion and utilization of CO2 for sustainable development involving energy, catalysis, adsorption and chemical processing , 2006 .

[18]  John T. S. Irvine,et al.  A redox-stable efficient anode for solid-oxide fuel cells , 2003, Nature materials.

[19]  K. Kreuer.  First published online as a Review in Advance on April 9, 2003 PROTON-CONDUCTING OXIDES , 2022 .

[20]  G. V. D. Laan,et al.  Kinetics and Selectivity of the Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis: A Literature Review , 1999 .

[21]  Louis Schlapbach,et al.  Technology: Hydrogen-fuelled vehicles , 2009, Nature.

[22]  S. Tsang,et al.  Recent advances in CO2 capture and utilization. , 2008, ChemSusChem.