Reducing carbon dioxide to products

• US 8,845,878 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avantium Knowledge Centre B.V. (Avantium NV)
• Original Assignee: Liquid Light, Inc. (Avantium NV)
• Inventors: Cole, Emily Barton, Sivasankar, Narayanappa, Parajuli, Rishi, Keets, Kate A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hendricks, Keith
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jain, Salil
• Application Number:
  US13/787,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 205/555
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/00 Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/55 Photoelectrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/25 Reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight

Abstract

A method reducing carbon dioxide to one or more products may include steps (A) to (C). Step (A) may bubble said carbon dioxide into a solution of an electrolyte and a catalyst in a divided electrochemical cell. The divided electrochemical cell may include an anode in a first cell compartment and a cathode in a second cell compartment. The cathode may reduce said carbon dioxide into said products. Step (B) may adjust one or more of (a) a cathode material, (b) a surface morphology of said cathode, (c) said electrolyte, (d) a manner in which said carbon dioxide is bubbled, (e), a pH level of said solution, and (f) an electrical potential of said divided electrochemical cell, to vary at least one of (i) which of said products is produced and (ii) a faradaic yield of said products. Step (C) may separate said products from said solution.

Claims

1. A method for reducing carbon dioxide to one or more products, comprising:

(A) bubbling said carbon dioxide into a solution of an electrolyte and a catalyst in a divided electrochemical cell, wherein (i) said divided electrochemical cell comprises an anode in a first cell compartment and a cathode in a second cell compartment, (ii) said cathode reducing said carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, and (iii) said catalyst is a homogeneous heterocyclic amine catalyst and said cathode is selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Ag, Bi, C, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, a Cu alloy, Ga, Hg, In, Mo, Nb, Ni, NiCo2O4, a Ni alloy, a Ni—

Fe alloy, Pb, Rh, Sn, a Sn alloy, Ti, V, W, Zn, elgiloy, Nichrome, austenitic steel, duplex steel, ferritic steel, martensitic steel, stainless steel, degenerately doped p-Si, degenerately doped p-Si;

As, degenerately doped p-Si;

B, degenerately doped n-Si, degenerately doped n-Si;

As, degenerately doped n-Si;

B, and mixtures thereof;

(B) separating said carbon monoxide from said solution.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said homogeneous heterocyclic amine catalyst is one or more of adenine, an amine containing sulfur, an amine containing oxygen, an azole, benzimidazole, a bipyridine, furan, an imidazole, an imidazole-related species with at least one five-member ring, an indole, methylimidazole, an oxazole, phenanthroline, pterin, pteridine, a pyridine, a pyridine-related species with at least one six-member ring, pyrrole, quinoline, and a thiazole.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electrolyte is at least one of Na2SO4, KHCO3, KCl, NaNO₃, NaCl, NaF, NaClO₄, KClO₄, K₂SiO₃, CaCl₂, a guanidinium cation, a H cation, an alkali metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, a halide ion, an alkyl amine, a borate, a carbonate, a guanidinium derivative, a nitrite, a nitrate, a phosphate, a polyphosphate, a perchlorate, a silicate, a sulfate, and a tetraalkyl ammonium salt.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

introducing to said solution of said electrolyte at least one of a divalent cation including at least one of calcium, magnesium, or zinc.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said manner in which said carbon dioxide is bubbled comprises:

bubbling said carbon dioxide to contact said cathode.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said manner in which said carbon dioxide is bubbled comprises:

bubbling said carbon dioxide to avoid contact with said cathode.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said solution has a pH between approximately 1 and approximately 8.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said stainless steel includes at least one of SS 2205, SS 304, SS 316, and SS 321;

and wherein said Sn alloy includes at least one of SnAg, SnPb, SnSb.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cathode is selected from the group consisting of Sn, SnAg, SnPb, SnSb and mixtures thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said catalyst includes quinoline.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the catalyst has a concentration of 10 to 100 mM.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte includes KCl.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the electrolyte has a concentration of 0.25 to 1M.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cathode has a potential of −

1 to −

1.4 volts vs SCE.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solution has a pH of 5 to 7.