journal article·2022-02-11Open access

Continuum Model to Define the Chemistry and Mass Transfer in a Bicarbonate Electrolyzer

Eric W. Lees, Justin C. Bui, Datong Song, Adam Z. Weber, Curtis P. Berlinguette

ACS Energy Letters· Volume 7· Issue 2

Abstract

Bicarbonate electrolyzers are devices designed to convert CO2 captured from point sources or the atmosphere into chemicals and fuels without needing to first isolate pure CO2 gas. We report here an experimentally validated model that quantifies the reaction chemistry and mass transfer processes within the catalyst layer and cation exchange membrane layer of a bicarbonate electrolyzer. Our results demonstrate that two distinct chemical microenvironments are key to forming CO at high rates: an acidic membrane layer that promotes in situ CO2 formation and a basic catalyst layer that suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction. We show that the rate of CO product formation can be increased by modulating the catalyst and membrane layer properties to increase the rate of in situ CO2 generation and transport to the cathode. These insights serve to inform the design of bicarbonate and BPM-based CO2 electrolyzers while demonstrating the value of modeling for resolving rate-determining processes in electrochemical systems.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced battery technologies research · CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts · 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 V6T 1Z3, Canada

Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States

Liquid Sunlight Alliance, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States

Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1W5, 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, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada

Funding

National Research Council Canada · Basic Energy Sciences · Total · Canada Research Chairs · Canada First Research Excellence Fund · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada · Canadian Institute for Advanced Research · National Science Foundation · Canadian Foundation for Innovation

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