(703a) Mass Transport and Interfaces in CO2 Electrolysis Systems

Traditional chemical industry processes often rely on fossil fuels, which inevitably emit substantial quantities of CO2. Turning CO2 into valuable chemicals is a potential approach for sustainable chemical production. In this presentation, we will discuss our work on understanding and engineering interfaces in CO2 electrolysis system for acetate and ethylene production. We will share our initial discovery of acetate formation in CO electroreduction on Cu catalysts. Mechanistic studies suggest that a ketene-like intermediate is the key for the formation of acetate. With further efforts in reactor engineering, we successfully developed an internally coupled purification strategy that significantly enhances acetate concentration and purity in CO electrolysis.[1] This approach employs an alkaline-stable anion exchange membrane with high ethanol permeability and a selective ethanol partial oxidation anode to regulate the CO reduction product stream. Furthermore, we will discuss our recent efforts and technical challenges in scaling up tandem CO2 electrolysis systems for industrial applications. [2]

References:
1. S. Overa, B. Crandall, B. Shrimant, D. Tian, B. H. Ko, H. Shin, C. Bae and F. Jiao*. Enhancing acetate selectivity by coupling anodic oxidation in carbon monoxide electroreduction. Nature Catalysis 5, 738-745 (2022). 10.1038/s41929-022-00828-w
2. F. Jiao, et al. Tandem CO2 Electrolysis: From Watt to Kilowatt-Scale for Enhanced Acetate and Ethylene Production. Nature Chemical Engineering (in press).