(Invited) Electrochemistry Meets Heterogeneous Catalysis for the Conversion of CO2 and N2 to Fuels and Chemicals

Abstract

Electrochemical reactors operating at intermediate temperatures (200 – 400 °C) can potentially have several advantages over their high temperature (600- 1000 °C) and low temperature (< 100 °C) counterparts. For example their potential of an increased catalytic activity enabling a decrease in material cost compared to low temperature cells, and can be thermally integrated into other chemical processes like synthesis of synthetic fuels and chemicals, such as methanol and ammonia.Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to chemical building blocks such as CO, CH3OH, and CH4 is a dream for electrochemists, and high faradaic efficiencies have been reported for liquid electrochemical cells operated at ambient temperature, using e.g. Cu electrodes [1]. However, selectivity and electrochemical activity are far from being technically relevant, so that heterogeneous catalysis processes still are the matter of choice. Even more difficult is the electrochemical reduction of nitrogen f.i. to ammonia.In this contribution, activities at DTU Energy are summarized using solid state electrochemical cells under operating conditions close to the well-known catalytic synthesis of methanol and ammonia. For CO2 reduction, cells based on CsH2PO4 as electrolyte and Cu based cathodes have been investigated towards their electrochemical activity in both H2/H2O and H2/H2O/CO2 containing atmospheres at elevated temperatures of 240 °C. Proton conducting ceramics cells based on barium cerate with Mo and Fe electrodes have been characterized in H2/N2 atmospheres between 300 and 500 °C. Electrochemical impedance analysis point towards a predominant hydrogen evolution and the role of adsorption and desorption processes as well as overpotential will be discussed.[1] Y. Hori, Modern Aspects of Electrochemistry: Electrochemical CO2 Reduction on Metal Electrodes, Springer New York, USA 42 (2008), 89-189.