Bipolar membrane Electrolyzer for CO2 electro-reduction to CO in organic electrolyte with NaClO produced as byproduct

Abstract

A novel electrolyzer has been proposed for CO2 reduction to CO, concurrently generating NaClO as a byproduct at the anode. The cell is divided into two compartments by a bipolar membrane, which plays a pivotal role in the dissociation of H2O into H+ and OH−. In the cathode compartment, CO2 is reduced to CO within a neutral organic solution. Simultaneously, in the anode compartment, Cl− undergoes oxidation to form ClO− within a basic aqueous solution. The electrolyzer remains stable during 10 h of electrolysis, and the current density reaches 76.35 mA cm−2 at a potential of -2.4 V (vs SHE), with the Faradaic efficiency of CO formation stable at 93 %. By increasing the product values, CO2 electro-reduction technology can be promoted to industrial applications.