Continuous flow reactor and hybrid electro-catalyst for high selectivity production of C2H4 from CO2 and water via electrolysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299811-B2
Application number	US-201916261484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2019
Priority date	Jan 29, 2018
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

An electrochemical reactor for use with a liquid electrolyte is capable of generating gaseous products. An electrically conducting porous layer that is hydrophilic on the catalyst side and hydrophobic on the gas side are utilized. These different surface properties promote the transport of product gases formed at the catalyst through the porous layer to the gas side. The catalyst is formed from a hybrid Cu2O—CuBr film that has a high selectivity for ethylene gas from reacting CO2 and water in an electrochemical cell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrochemical reactor for use with an electrolyte that generates gaseous products, comprising:
an electrolyte channel, wherein the electrolyte channel does not comprise a solid, a first and a second electrode layer and a first and a second gas channel;
wherein:
(a) the first electrode layer is directly adjacent the electrolyte channel,
(b) the second electrode layer is directly adjacent the electrolyte channel,
(c) the first electrode layer separates the electrolyte channel and the first gas channel,
(d) the second electrode layer separates the electrolyte channel and the second gas channel,
(e) each electrode layer comprises a gas side and a catalyst side, wherein the catalyst side comprises a catalyst layer comprising a catalyst, wherein the catalyst layer is directly adjacent to the electrolyte channel; and
(f) each electrode layer is hydrophilic on the catalyst side and hydrophobic on the gas side.

2. The electrochemical reactor of claim 1 , wherein each electrode layer comprises an electrically conducting porous layer on the gas side of the electrode layer.

3. The electrochemical reactor of claim 2 , wherein the electrically conducting porous layer is made from a hydrophobic material.

4. The electrochemical reactor of claim 3 , wherein the hydrophobic material is polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. The electrochemical reactor of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is electrodeposited on the catalyst side of the electrode layer.

6. The electrochemical reactor of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is Pt, Ru, Cu, Ti, Ni, or Cu—Br.

7. The electrochemical reactor of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is formed from a hybrid Cu 2 O—CuBr film.

8. The electrochemical reactor of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is an anion conducting electrolyte.

9. The electrochemical reactor of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is a cation conducting electrolyte.

10. The electrochemical reactor of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is NaOH, NaHCO 3 , KOH, or Na 2 SO 4 .

11. A system for producing C 2 H 4 from CO 2 , comprising an electrochemical reactor of claim 7 , and a liquid electrolyte, wherein the liquid electrolyte is an anion conducting electrolyte, a cation conducting electrolyte, or an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of NaOH, NaHCO 3 , KOH, or Na 2 SO 4 .

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the liquid electrolyte is pumped continuously into the electrolyte channel of the electrochemical reactor.

Assignees

• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Tacconi Norma S
• Chanmanee Wilaiwan
• Dennis Brian
• Rajeshwar Krishnan

Classifications

• C25B11/091 Primary

  consisting of at least one catalytic element and at least one catalytic compound; consisting of two or more catalytic elements or catalytic compounds · CPC title

• C25B11/031

  Porous electrodes · CPC title

• C25B11/051

  Electrodes formed of electrocatalysts on a substrate or carrier · CPC title

• C25B3/25 Primary

  Reduction · CPC title