Bismuth-based chloride-storage electrodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018201524-A1
Application number	US-201715408980-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 18, 2017
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Bismuth-based, chloride-storage electrodes and rechargeable electrochemical cells incorporating the chloride-storage electrodes are provided. Also provided are methods for making the electrodes and methods for using the electrochemical cells to remove chloride ions from a sample. The chloride-storage electrodes, which are composed of bismuth metal, can store chloride ions in their bulk by forming BiOCl via an oxidation reaction with bismuth in the presence of an oxygen source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a chloride-storage electrode comprising bismuth metal; an electrolyte solution comprising chloride ions in contact with the chloride-storage electrode; a second electrode in electrical communication with the chloride-storage electrode; and an electrolyte solution in contact with the second electrode, wherein the electrolyte solution in contact with the second electrode is either the electrolyte solution comprising chloride ions that is in contact with the first electrode or a different electrolyte solution.

2 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the bismuth metal is a porous nanocrystalline bismuth foam comprising pore walls that define pores, and further wherein the pore walls comprise crystalline bismuth dendrites.

3 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is a sodium-storage electrode and the electrolyte solution in contact with the second electrode comprises sodium ions.

4 . The electrochemical cell of claim 3 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprising chloride ions comprises salinated water from a natural body of water.

5 . The electrochemical cell of claim 4 , wherein the second electrode comprises NaTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 .

6 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is a hydrogen-evolution electrode and the electrolyte solution in contact with the second electrode comprises a chemical species that provides a hydrogen source.

7 . A method for removing chloride ions from an electrolyte solution using an electrochemical cell comprising: a chloride-storage electrode comprising bismuth metal; an electrolyte solution comprising chloride ions in contact with the chloride-storage electrode; a second electrode in electrical communication with the chloride-storage electrode; and an electrolyte solution in contact with the second electrode, wherein the electrolyte solution in contact with the second electrode is either the electrolyte solution comprising chloride ions that is in contact with the first electrode or a different electrolyte solution, the method comprising:
generating a flow of electrons from the chloride-storage electrode to the second electrode, whereby bismuth in the chloride-storage electrode is oxidized to form BiOCl and a reduction reaction occurs at the second electrode.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprising chloride ions comprises salinated water.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprises seawater.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second electrode is a sodium-storage electrode and the reduction reaction comprises reducing the sodium-storage electrode to store sodium ions.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second electrode is a hydrogen evolution electrode and the reduction reaction comprises reducing water to hydrogen.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second electrode is an oxygen reduction electrode and the reduction reaction comprises reducing oxygen to hydroxide ions or hydrogen peroxide.

13 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
generating a reverse flow of electrons, such that electrons travel from the second electrode to the chloride-storage electrode, whereby the BiOCl is reduced to Bi and chloride ions are released from the chloride-storage electrode and an oxidation reaction occurs at the second electrode.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second electrode is a sodium-storage electrode and the oxidation reaction comprises oxidizing the sodium-storage electrode to release sodium ions.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oxidation reaction is the oxidation of a metal with an oxidation potential.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oxidation reaction comprises oxidizing chloride to chlorine gas.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the oxidation reaction comprises oxidizing an organic molecule.

Assignees

• Wisconsin Alumni Res Found

Inventors

• Choi Kyoung-Shin
• Nam Dohwan

Classifications

• H01M4/5825

  Oxygenated metallic salts or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines · CPC title

• H01M4/38

  of elements or alloys · CPC title

• H01M10/36

  Accumulators not provided for in groups H01M10/05-H01M10/34 · CPC title

• C02F1/4604 Primary

  for desalination of seawater or brackish water · CPC title

• C02F2103/08

  Seawater, e.g. for desalination · CPC title