Method for transporting nitride ions in an electrochemical cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019040534-A1
Application number	US-201715667814-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2017
Priority date	Aug 3, 2017
Publication date	Feb 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for transporting nitride (N3−) ions in an electrochemical cell includes providing nitrogen to a first side of a solid electrolyte membrane to form nitride ions and transporting the nitride ions across the solid electrolyte membrane. The solid electrolyte membrane includes a metal nitride. The method may be used for ionically-mediated separation and/or compression of nitrogen or to form ammonia.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for transporting nitride ions (N 3− ) across a solid electrolyte comprising a metal nitride, the method comprising:
providing nitrogen to a first side of the solid electrolyte, wherein the nitrogen reacts to form nitride ions; and transporting nitride ions across the solid electrolyte.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), sodium (Na), or a mixture thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte comprises lithium nitride.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte is located between a first catalyst electrode layer and a second catalyst electrode layer.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first catalyst electrode layer and the second catalyst electrode layer comprises an alkali promoted ruthenium catalyst.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride electrolyte was formed in situ in the electrochemical cell.

7 . A method for producing at least one nitrogen-containing compound in an electrochemical cell;
wherein the electrochemical cell comprises:
a solid electrolyte membrane, wherein the solid electrolyte membrane comprises a metal nitride and can transport nitride ions; and
the method comprising: providing nitrogen to a first side of the membrane, wherein the nitrogen reacts to form nitride ions (N 3− ), wherein the solid metal nitride electrolyte transports nitride ions (N 3− ); and providing a reactant to a second side of the membrane, wherein the reactant reacts with nitride ions (N 3− ) to form the at least one nitrogen-containing compound.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrochemical cell is located in an electrochemical stack comprising a plurality of cells.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrochemical cell is supplied with a hydrogen source and a nitrogen source; wherein the electrochemical cell is integrated with an electricity source; and wherein the method electrochemically produces ammonia.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the metal nitride is lithium nitride.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the metal nitride is lithium nitride; wherein the electrochemical cell further comprises a first catalyst electrode layer and a second catalyst electrode layer; and wherein at least one of the first catalyst electrode layer and the second catalyst electrode layer comprises a ruthenium (Ru) catalyst.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein one of the first catalyst electrode layer and the second catalyst electrode layer does not comprise the ruthenium (Ru) catalyst

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrochemical cell is operated at a temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the nitrogen is provided to the first catalyst electrode layer at a pressure in the range of from 1 bar to 10 bar.

15 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method electrochemically produces hydrazine or hydrazoic acid.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen is provided at a first pressure or partial pressure to the first side of the membrane; wherein the nitride ions react at a second side of the membrane to form nitrogen (N 2 ); and wherein the method further comprises:
removing nitrogen (N 2 ) at a second pressure or partial pressure from a second side of the membrane through an outlet; wherein the second pressure or partial pressure is greater than the first pressure or partial pressure.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the nitrogen is provided to the first side of the membrane in a gaseous mixture further comprising at least one additional gas.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the membrane is located between a first catalyst electrode and a second catalyst electrode; wherein the first catalyst electrode layer comprises ruthenium; and wherein the second catalyst electrode layer comprises ruthenium.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the composition consists essentially of nitrogen; and wherein the method compresses nitrogen.

20 . An electrochemical system for transporting nitride ions (N 3− ), the system comprising:
a solid electrolyte membrane comprising a metal nitride and capable of transporting nitride ions.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Desai Divyaraj
• Vedharathinam Vedasri
• Rivest Jessica Louis Baker

Classifications

• C25B15/08

  Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes · CPC title

• B01J41/02

  Processes using inorganic exchangers · CPC title

• C25B1/00 Primary

  Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals · CPC title

• C25B1/27

  Ammonia · CPC title

• C25B11/091

  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