Metal hollow fiber electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019271089-A1
Application number	US-201615778864-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2016
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 5, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention is directed to a metal hollow fiber electrode, to a method of electrolyzing carbon dioxide in an aqueous electrochemical cell, to a method of converting carbon dioxide, to a method of preparing a metal hollow fiber, to a use of a metal hollow fiber electrode. The metal hollow fiber electrode comprises aggregated copper particles forming an interconnected three-dimensional porous structure, wherein said metal comprises copper.

First claim

1 . A metal hollow fiber electrode, comprising aggregated copper particles forming an interconnected three-dimensional porous structure, wherein said metal comprises copper.

2 . The metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said metal is copper.

3 . The metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said fibers have an inner diameter of 0.1-10 mm.

4 - 5 . (canceled)

6 . The metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said fibers have an outer diameter of 0.1-10 mm.

7 - 8 . (canceled)

9 . The metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said fibers comprises or is composed of sintered copper particles.

10 . The metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said copper particles have an average particle diameter of 0.1-10 μm.

11 - 12 . (canceled)

13 . The metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , wherein a porous outer layer of the hollow fiber is more dense than a porous inner layer of the hollow fiber.

14 . The metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said outer layer has a thickness in the range of 5-20 μm.

15 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A method of electrolyzing carbon dioxide in an aqueous electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein the cathode comprises one or more metal hollow fiber electrodes according to claim 1 , said method comprising
applying a potential between said anode and cathode, and purging CO 2 or a gas mixture comprising CO 2 through the wall of the metal hollow fiber electrode.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein said method is performed in an aqueous environment.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein said method is performed at a temperature in the range of 5-80° C.

20 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . A method of converting carbon dioxide into one or more selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, formic acid, a formate, methanol, acetaldehyde, methane, ethylene and ethane, comprising electrolyzing CO 2 by a method according to claim 17 .

23 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein carbon dioxide is converted into carbon monoxide.

24 . A method of preparing a metal hollow fiber electrode according to claim 1 , comprising
spinning a mixture comprising copper particles, polymer and solvent together with a bore liquid to obtain hollow fibers; subjecting the hollow fibers to a thermal treatment such that copper particles are sintered together, thereby yielding hollow copper oxide fibers; hydrogenating the hollow copper oxide fibers.

25 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said thermal treatment comprises subjecting the hollow fibers to a temperature of 500-800° C.

26 . (canceled)

27 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the hollow fibers are subjected to said thermal treatment for a period of 1-6 hours.

28 . (canceled)

29 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hydrogenation comprises subjecting the hollow copper oxide fibers to a temperature of 200-400° C.

30 . (canceled)

31 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the hollow copper oxide fibers are hydrogenated for a period of 30-120 minutes.

32 . (canceled)

33 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the hollow copper oxide fibers are hydrogenated in a flow of hydrogen in the concentration range of 0-100 vol. %.

34 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the hollow copper oxide fibers are hydrogenated in a flow of hydrogen in a concentration of 5 vol. % in a balance gas.

35 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Univ Twente

Inventors

• Kas Recep
• De Wit Patrick
• Benes Nieck Edwin
• Mul Guido

Classifications

• C25B1/00

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

• C25B11/02 Primary

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title

• C25B3/04

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B11/0415

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B11/035

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic