Zero-Chem: Zerogap bipolar membrane electrolyser for CO2 reduction to chemicals & fuels
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Carbon dioxide is a waste molecule that is generated by many industries and processes. Humanity is striving to prevent the production of carbon dioxide by industrial processes but emissions from certain sectors such as steel manufacture, cement production and brewing are difficult to prevent.
But carbon dioxide should not just be thought of as a waste product, it can be converted, essentially chemically recycled, to make the energy rich fuels and products (e.g. jet fuel, plastics, medicines) on which society relies. Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction is one of the most promising ways to convert carbon dioxide to useful products. The generation of storable, high energy density, fuels using only water, waste carbon dioxide and renewable power is particularly attractive as way to addressing seasonal energy storage. Displacement of carbon dioxide derived products for the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries, a sector which employs more than 150,000 people in the UK and generates more than £25 billion in value, can also play an important role in achieving net-zero by displacing existing virigin fossil derived carbon products.
Impressive lab based results are being achieved for electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction at room temperature but the current generation of devices have a fundamental flaw. They use conditions where hydroxide is either generated or already present at the site of carbon dioxide reduction. Hydroxide reacts rapidly with carbon dioxide to form carbonate and bicarbonate, meaning that it is no longer available for conversion. This leads to solids forming and device failure as well as lowering the efficiency of the device. It is estimated that recovering the carbon dioxide adds at least 50% to the energy of cost of conversion. In many cases the energy cost associated with the reaction between hydroxide and carbon dioxide exceeds the energy content of the carbon based fuel or feedstock stored. Rather than being fuel generating devices many carbon dioxide electrolysers are fuel wasting.
Carbonate and bicarbonate are not formed in acids, they are not stable. Instead the carbon dioxide remains available for conversion. But in acids all of the current generation of carbon dioxide reduction electrodes that use precious metals (e.g. gold, silver) do not produce carbon products, instead only hydrogen is made. The dogma of the community is that the catalyst site must not be operated at low pH as the catalysts do not work. The ZeroChem approach is simple - if the
catalyst does not work under the conditions that are required for the process to operate effectively then the catalyst needs to be redesigned. This feasibility study will assess if gas diffusion electrodes can be made which operate in strong acid. We will then demonstrate their use in a novel type of zero-gap bipolar membrane electrolyser to deliver an entirely new approach to carbon dioxide utilisation.
But carbon dioxide should not just be thought of as a waste product, it can be converted, essentially chemically recycled, to make the energy rich fuels and products (e.g. jet fuel, plastics, medicines) on which society relies. Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction is one of the most promising ways to convert carbon dioxide to useful products. The generation of storable, high energy density, fuels using only water, waste carbon dioxide and renewable power is particularly attractive as way to addressing seasonal energy storage. Displacement of carbon dioxide derived products for the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries, a sector which employs more than 150,000 people in the UK and generates more than £25 billion in value, can also play an important role in achieving net-zero by displacing existing virigin fossil derived carbon products.
Impressive lab based results are being achieved for electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction at room temperature but the current generation of devices have a fundamental flaw. They use conditions where hydroxide is either generated or already present at the site of carbon dioxide reduction. Hydroxide reacts rapidly with carbon dioxide to form carbonate and bicarbonate, meaning that it is no longer available for conversion. This leads to solids forming and device failure as well as lowering the efficiency of the device. It is estimated that recovering the carbon dioxide adds at least 50% to the energy of cost of conversion. In many cases the energy cost associated with the reaction between hydroxide and carbon dioxide exceeds the energy content of the carbon based fuel or feedstock stored. Rather than being fuel generating devices many carbon dioxide electrolysers are fuel wasting.
Carbonate and bicarbonate are not formed in acids, they are not stable. Instead the carbon dioxide remains available for conversion. But in acids all of the current generation of carbon dioxide reduction electrodes that use precious metals (e.g. gold, silver) do not produce carbon products, instead only hydrogen is made. The dogma of the community is that the catalyst site must not be operated at low pH as the catalysts do not work. The ZeroChem approach is simple - if the
catalyst does not work under the conditions that are required for the process to operate effectively then the catalyst needs to be redesigned. This feasibility study will assess if gas diffusion electrodes can be made which operate in strong acid. We will then demonstrate their use in a novel type of zero-gap bipolar membrane electrolyser to deliver an entirely new approach to carbon dioxide utilisation.
People |
ORCID iD |
Alexander Cowan (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Siritanaratkul B
(2023)
Improving the Stability, Selectivity, and Cell Voltage of a Bipolar Membrane Zero-Gap Electrolyzer for Low-Loss CO 2 Reduction
in Advanced Materials Interfaces
Banerji L
(2024)
Studying the cation dependence of CO2 reduction intermediates at Cu by in-situ VSFG spectroscopy
in Chemical Science
Description | We have discovered a way to run a carbon dioxide electrolyser that increases carbon efficiency and device stability. This is done by building on the concepts developed in EP/V011863/1 and translates them to a more robust gold electrode that with a simple, common, additive is able to reduced carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide (a valuable chemical feedstock) using pure water as the other input. The work is under review for publication and we are exploring exploitation of the groups wider activities in electrolysers as part of the UKRI iCure program. |
Exploitation Route | The concepts developed can be used by CO2 producers to convert their waste gases to valuable chemcial feedstock |
Sectors | Chemicals Energy |
Description | the concepts of the grant are being used in a potential spin-out that is being explored through the iCure process (see CO2volt.com). We are working with industry partners (e.g. c-capture) to explore the integration of the technology in the patents with carbon capture processes |
First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
Sector | Chemicals,Energy |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | Contribution to policy paper from RS on green chemicals industry |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | ICURE - discover |
Amount | £3,700 (GBP) |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2023 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) - Flexible fund |
Amount | £98,321 (GBP) |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2023 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | Partnership innovation fund - Sustainable ethylene production: a joint Uol - lneos pilot study of decarbonisation technology |
Amount | £40,350 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2022 |
End | 04/2023 |
Description | C-capture Liverpool partnership on CO2 utilisaiton |
Organisation | C-Capture Ltd. |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are carrying out catalysis studies on the gases provided by c-capture |
Collaborator Contribution | c-capture have modified carbon capture test rigs at Drax power station and at NSG-pilkington to enable compression and storage of CO2 in cylinders that are trasport to the research team at the University of Liverpool. |
Impact | We are testing captured carbon dioxide provided by c-capture from industrial sites (e.g. Drax, Pilkington float line) to explore the compatibility of our carbon dioxide utilisation technologies discovered with the capture technology of c-capture |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with NSG on CO2 electrolysis |
Organisation | Pilkington Glass |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Reserach from UKRI projects has been used by a joint funded (University of Liverpool - Pilkington) PhD student who is studying the feasibility of CO2 utilisation for the glass industry. Multiple projects have supported this partnership which was initialised based on the UKRI funded fellowship extension (2019 EP/P034497/1) and we have continued to partner on activities of EP/V011863/1, EP/V011863/2, EP/W038021/1, EP/W033283/1 |
Collaborator Contribution | They have partnered on a number of UKRI projects in this field (See above for codes). For all they have provided expertise and data on industrial gas sources. Financial contributions include a part funded PhD student relating to our wider joint interest on CO2 activity (2020-2024) and a new studentship funded for 2024 - 2028 |
Impact | PhD studentships (see above) new funded project exploring higher TRL activity with consortium of Net-Zero NW, NSG-pilkington, c-capture, University of Liverpool on carbon capture and utilisation with industry gases. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Joint activity with INEOS technologies |
Organisation | INEOS |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Building on outputs from EP/W038021/1 and EP/V011863/2 & EP/V011863/1 we have carried out a proof of principle study with INEOS as a partner on routes for CO2 to ethylene (key INEOS product). We have also provided technical expertise in discussions for the companies team to assess the state of the art. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partner has provided expertise and knowledge of electrolyser testing and contributed to project meetings. |
Impact | The project led to the generation of a technical assessment of the state-of-the-art for CO2 to ethylene by electrolysis which is to be shared internally. |
Start Year | 2023 |