Electrochemical synthesis of cementitious compounds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428738-B2
Application number	US-202017771197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2020
Priority date	Oct 29, 2019
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

In some aspects, the present disclosure pertains to methods for the electrochemical production of calcium silicate compounds in an electrochemical cell that comprises (a) a Ca-based electrode that comprises calcium metal or an inorganic calcium material, (b) an SiO x -based electrode that comprises a SiO x material, where x ranges from 1 to 2, and (c) a liquid electrolyte disposed between the Ca-based electrode and the SiO x -based electrode. In these methods, the electrochemical cell is operated under conditions such that calcium cations are produced at the Ca-based electrode and one or more calcium silicate (Ca—Si-oxide) compounds are produced at the SiO x -based electrode. In other aspects, the present disclosure pertains to systems for the electrochemical production of calcium silicate compounds.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for the electrochemical production of calcium silicate compounds in an electrochemical cell that comprises (a) a Ca-based electrode that comprises calcium metal or an inorganic calcium material, (b) an SiO x -based electrode that comprises a SiO x material, where x ranges from 1 to 2, and (c) a liquid electrolyte disposed between the Ca-based electrode and the SiO x -based electrode, wherein the electrochemical cell is operated under conditions such that calcium cations are produced at the Ca-based electrode and one or more calcium silicate (Ca—Si-oxide) compounds are produced at the SiO x -based electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more calcium silicate compounds that are produced comprise one or more of Wollastonite (CaSiO 3 ), Rankanite (Ca 2 Si 3 O 7 ), Belite (Ca 2 SiO 4 ) and Alite (Ca 3 SiO 5 ).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Ca-based electrode comprises calcium metal and wherein operation of the electrochemical cell produces a usable electrical potential.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic calcium material comprises calcium oxide, wherein oxygen gas is produced at the Ca-based electrode in addition to the calcium cations, and wherein a source of electrical potential is supplied to drive the electrochemical cell.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic calcium material comprises calcium carbonate, wherein oxygen and carbon dioxide gases are produced at the Ca-based electrode in addition to the calcium cations, and wherein a source of electrical potential is supplied to drive the electrochemical cell.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic calcium material comprises calcium sulfate, wherein oxygen and sulfur dioxide gas is produced at the Ca-based electrode in addition to the calcium cations, and a source of electrical potential is supplied to drive the electrochemical cell.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein oxygen is introduced at the SiO x -based electrode to reduce or prevent the formation of silicon at the SiO x -based electrode.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a solution of one or more calcium salts in an organic solvent, in an aqueous solution, or in a solid electrolyte melt.

9. A system for the electrochemical production of calcium silicate compounds, wherein the system comprises an electrochemical cell that comprises (a) a Ca-based electrode that comprises calcium metal or an inorganic calcium material, (b) an SiO x -based electrode that comprises a SiO x material, where x ranges from 1 to 2, and (c) a liquid electrolyte disposed between the Ca-based electrode and the SiO x -based electrode, and wherein the system is configured to operate the electrochemical cell under conditions such that calcium cations are produced at the Ca-based electrode and one or more calcium silicate compounds are produced at the SiO x -based electrode.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the Ca-based electrode, the SiO x -based electrode, and the electrolyte are placed inside a closed cell.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the Ca-based electrode and the SiO x -based electrodes are dipped into the liquid electrolyte.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the Ca-based electrode comprises calcium metal.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the Ca-based electrode comprises an inorganic calcium material selected from calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, and calcium sulfate dihydrate.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a voltage source for supplying energy to operate the electrochemical cell.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the Ca-based electrode comprises a current collector in contact with a material comprising a mixture of the inorganic calcium material, a conductive material, and a binder.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the SiO x -based electrode comprises a current collector in contact with an SiO x -containing material comprising a mixture of the SiO x material, a conductive material, and a binder.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the SiO x -based electrode comprises a mesh current collector disposed between and in contact with first and second layers of the SiO x -containing material, and an oxygen-gas-permeable membrane disposed on an outer surface of the first layer, wherein the oxygen-gas-permeable membrane is configured to be exposed to O 2 gas during operation of the electrochemical cell, and wherein an outer surface of the second layer is placed in contact with the liquid electrolyte.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising an ionically conductive separator positioned between the Ca-based electrode and the SiO x -based electrode.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a solution of one or more calcium salts in an organic solvent, in an aqueous solution or in a solid electrolyte melt.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a voltage source for supplying energy to operate the electrochemical cell.

Assignees

• Univ Carnegie Mellon

Inventors

• Houchins Gregory
• Viswanathan Venkatasubramanian

Classifications

• C25B9/19

  with diaphragms · CPC title

• C25B11/042

  Electrodes formed of a single material · CPC title

• C04B7/02

  Portland cement · CPC title

• C04B7/3456

  Alinite cements, e.g. "Nudelman"-type cements, bromo-alinite cements, fluoro-alinite cements · CPC title

• C04B7/3453

  Belite cements, e.g. self-disintegrating cements based on dicalciumsilicate · CPC title