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

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

73 Citations (Scopus)

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
Pages (from-to)	2742-2753
Journal	Joule
Volume	5
Issue number	10
Online published	21 Sept 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013
Publication status	Published - 20 Oct 2021
Externally published	Yes

Research Keywords

carbon utilization
catalysis
CO2 electroreduction
concentration
downstream separation
electrolyzer
ethanol
liquid crossover
membrane electrode assembly
polymer electrolyte

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Cite this

@article{2edb22eb41c24d8ba8c9a152115e77ae,

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 = "carbon utilization, catalysis, CO2 electroreduction, 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",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

day = "20",

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

language = "English",

volume = "5",

pages = "2742--2753",

journal = "Joule",

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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

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 - carbon utilization

KW - catalysis

KW - CO2 electroreduction

KW - concentration

KW - downstream separation

KW - electrolyzer

KW - ethanol

KW - liquid crossover

KW - membrane electrode assembly

KW - polymer electrolyte

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U2 - 10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013

DO - 10.1016/j.joule.2021.08.013

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 2542-4785

VL - 5

SP - 2742

EP - 2753

JO - Joule

JF - Joule

IS - 10

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