Electroosmotic flow steers neutral products and enables concentrated ethanol electroproduction from CO2

Rui Kai Miao; Yi Xu; Adnan Ozden; Anthony Robb; Colin P. O'Brien; Christine M. Gabardo; Geonhui Lee; Jonathan P. Edwards; Jianan Erick Huang; Mengyang Fan; Xue Wang; Shijie Liu; Yu Yan; Edward H. Sargent; David Sinton

doi:10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013

Electroosmotic flow steers neutral products and enables concentrated ethanol electroproduction from CO₂

Rui Kai Miao, Yi Xu, Adnan Ozden, Anthony Robb, Colin P. O'Brien, Christine M. Gabardo, Geonhui Lee, Jonathan P. Edwards, Jianan Erick Huang, Mengyang Fan, Xue Wang, Shijie Liu, Yu Yan, Edward H. Sargent, David Sinton^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂RR) converts intermittent renewable energy into high energy density fuels, such as ethanol. Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzers are particularly well-suited for CO₂-to-ethanol conversion in view of their low ohmic resistance and high stability. However, over 75% of the ethanol produced at the cathode migrates through the membrane where it is diluted by the anolyte and may be oxidized. The ethanol concentration that results is two orders of magnitude below the 10 wt % standard set by the incumbent industrial process, fermentation. Here, we reverse the direction of ion and electroosmotic transport by means of a porous proton exchange layer, thereby blocking both the convective and diffusive routes of ethanol loss. With this strategy, we eliminate ethanol crossover to the anode (< 1%) and achieve an ethanol concentration of 13.1 wt % directly from the cathode outlet.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2742-2753
Number of pages	12
Journal	Joule
Volume	5
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013
State	Published - Oct 20 2021

Keywords

CO electroreduction
carbon utilization
catalysis
concentration
downstream separation
electrolyzer
ethanol
liquid crossover
membrane electrode assembly
polymer electrolyte

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Energy(all)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013

Cite this

@article{967512975c4a4863a753121e34496d86,

title = "Electroosmotic flow steers neutral products and enables concentrated ethanol electroproduction from CO2",

abstract = "Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) converts intermittent renewable energy into high energy density fuels, such as ethanol. Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzers are particularly well-suited for CO2-to-ethanol conversion in view of their low ohmic resistance and high stability. However, over 75% of the ethanol produced at the cathode migrates through the membrane where it is diluted by the anolyte and may be oxidized. The ethanol concentration that results is two orders of magnitude below the 10 wt % standard set by the incumbent industrial process, fermentation. Here, we reverse the direction of ion and electroosmotic transport by means of a porous proton exchange layer, thereby blocking both the convective and diffusive routes of ethanol loss. With this strategy, we eliminate ethanol crossover to the anode (< 1%) and achieve an ethanol concentration of 13.1 wt % directly from the cathode outlet.",

keywords = "CO electroreduction, carbon utilization, catalysis, concentration, downstream separation, electrolyzer, ethanol, liquid crossover, membrane electrode assembly, polymer electrolyte",

author = "Miao, {Rui Kai} and Yi Xu and Adnan Ozden and Anthony Robb and O'Brien, {Colin P.} and Gabardo, {Christine M.} and Geonhui Lee and Edwards, {Jonathan P.} and Huang, {Jianan Erick} and Mengyang Fan and Xue Wang and Shijie Liu and Yu Yan and Sargent, {Edward H.} and David Sinton",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support and infrastructure from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Government of Ontario , through the Ontario Research Fund. This work is supported by Suncor Energy and the NSERC Alliance grant program. R.K.M. thanks NSERC, Hatch, and the Government of Ontario for their support through graduate scholarships. Y.X. thanks NSERC for support in the form of a graduate scholarship. The infrastructure provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) is gratefully acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "5",

pages = "2742--2753",

journal = "Joule",

issn = "2542-4351",

publisher = "Cell Press",

number = "10",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Electroosmotic flow steers neutral products and enables concentrated ethanol electroproduction from CO2

AU - Miao, Rui Kai

AU - Xu, Yi

AU - Ozden, Adnan

AU - Robb, Anthony

AU - O'Brien, Colin P.

AU - Gabardo, Christine M.

AU - Lee, Geonhui

AU - Edwards, Jonathan P.

AU - Huang, Jianan Erick

AU - Fan, Mengyang

AU - Wang, Xue

AU - Liu, Shijie

AU - Yan, Yu

AU - Sargent, Edward H.

AU - Sinton, David

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support and infrastructure from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Government of Ontario , through the Ontario Research Fund. This work is supported by Suncor Energy and the NSERC Alliance grant program. R.K.M. thanks NSERC, Hatch, and the Government of Ontario for their support through graduate scholarships. Y.X. thanks NSERC for support in the form of a graduate scholarship. The infrastructure provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) is gratefully acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2021/10/20

Y1 - 2021/10/20

N2 - Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) converts intermittent renewable energy into high energy density fuels, such as ethanol. Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzers are particularly well-suited for CO2-to-ethanol conversion in view of their low ohmic resistance and high stability. However, over 75% of the ethanol produced at the cathode migrates through the membrane where it is diluted by the anolyte and may be oxidized. The ethanol concentration that results is two orders of magnitude below the 10 wt % standard set by the incumbent industrial process, fermentation. Here, we reverse the direction of ion and electroosmotic transport by means of a porous proton exchange layer, thereby blocking both the convective and diffusive routes of ethanol loss. With this strategy, we eliminate ethanol crossover to the anode (< 1%) and achieve an ethanol concentration of 13.1 wt % directly from the cathode outlet.

AB - Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) converts intermittent renewable energy into high energy density fuels, such as ethanol. Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzers are particularly well-suited for CO2-to-ethanol conversion in view of their low ohmic resistance and high stability. However, over 75% of the ethanol produced at the cathode migrates through the membrane where it is diluted by the anolyte and may be oxidized. The ethanol concentration that results is two orders of magnitude below the 10 wt % standard set by the incumbent industrial process, fermentation. Here, we reverse the direction of ion and electroosmotic transport by means of a porous proton exchange layer, thereby blocking both the convective and diffusive routes of ethanol loss. With this strategy, we eliminate ethanol crossover to the anode (< 1%) and achieve an ethanol concentration of 13.1 wt % directly from the cathode outlet.

KW - CO electroreduction

KW - carbon utilization

KW - catalysis

KW - concentration

KW - downstream separation

KW - electrolyzer

KW - ethanol

KW - liquid crossover

KW - membrane electrode assembly

KW - polymer electrolyte

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DO - 10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013

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