DataVXACS Energy LettersPaper
journal article·2020-05-08

Managing Hydration at the Cathode Enables Efficient CO2 Electrolysis at Commercially Relevant Current Densities

Angelica Reyes, Ryan P. Jansonius, Benjamin A. W. Mowbray, Yang Cao, Danika G. Wheeler, Jacky Chau, David J. Dvorak, Curtis P. Berlinguette

ACS Energy Letters· Volume 5· Issue 5
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Source abstract

Abstract

Gas-fed CO2 electrochemical flow reactors are appealing platforms for the electrolytic conversion of CO2 into fuels and chemical feedstocks at commercially relevant current densities (≥100 mA/cm2). An inherent challenge in the development of these reactors is delivering sufficient water to the cathode to sustain the CO2 reduction reaction, while also preventing accumulation of excess water at the porous cathode (i.e., flooding). We present herein experimental evidence showing cathode flooding in a zero-gap electrolyzer at 200 mA/cm2. This flooding causes a 37% decrease in partial current density for CO production (jCO) along with a 450 mV increase in cell voltage (Ecell). We show that the detrimental effects associated with this flooding can be mitigated by pairing thin membranes (i.e., ≤40 μm) with hydrophobic cathodes to enable CO2 electrolysis at commercially relevant conditions (jCO ≥ 100 mA/cm2 and Ecell < 3 V).
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

Energy storage

OpenAlex topics: CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts · Advanced battery technologies research · Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6Y 1Z3, Canada

Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada

Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2355 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada

Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), 661 University Avenue, Toronto M5G 1M1, Ontario, Canada

Funding

Canada Foundation for Innovation · Canada Research Chairs · Canada First Research Excellence Fund · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada · Canadian Institute for Advanced Research

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