Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 with Co-Oxidation of an Alcohol

Abstract

The present disclosure is a system and method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode. The method may include the step of contacting the first region of the electrochemical cell with a catholyte comprising an alcohol and carbon dioxide. Another step of the method may include contacting the second region of the electrochemical cell with an anolyte comprising the alcohol. Further, the method may include a step of applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to produce a first product recoverable from the first region and a second product recoverable from the second region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a feed of carbon dioxide and methanol at the first region of the electrochemical cell;   contacting the first region with a catholyte comprising carbon dioxide and methanol;   receiving a feed of methanol at the second region of the electrochemical cell;   contacting the second region with an anolyte comprising methanol; and   applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to produce the first product recoverable from the first region and the second product recoverable from the second region.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the anolyte is free of halide ions. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first product includes at least one of carbon monoxide, formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, oxalate, oxalic acid, glyoxylic acid, glycolic acid, glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, ethylene glycol, acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ethanol, ethylene, methane, ethane, lactic acid, propanoic acid, acetone, isopropanol, 1-propanol, 1,2-propylene glycol, propane, 1-butanol, and 2-butanol. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second product includes at least one of formaldehyde, formic acid, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, glycolaldehyde, glyoxal, glycolic acid glyoxylic acid, oxalic acid, glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, 2,3 dihydroxypropionic acid, polyol-aldehyde, polyol-ketone, polyol-carboxylic acid, acetone, propionaldehyde, propanoic acid, butyraldehyde, butanoic acid, butanone, hydroquinone, 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, 2,5-cyclohexadiene-1-one, benzoquinone, maleic acid, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, acrolein, and acrylic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode and the anode are separated by an ion permeable barrier. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the ion permeable barrier includes one of a polymeric or inorganic ceramic-based ion permeable barrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the ion permeable barrier includes at least one of a solid polymer conductor electrolyte material and a perfluorinated sulfonic acid based membrane, a sodium super-conducting ionic conductor type ceramics or zirconium-yttria and beta-alumina based ceramics. 
     
     
         8 . A system for electrochemical co-production of products, comprising:
 an electrochemical cell including:
 a first region; 
 a cathode associated with the first region; 
 a second region; 
 an anode associated with the second region; and 
 a separator for selectively controlling a flow of ions between the first region and the second region; 
   a carbon dioxide source, the carbon dioxide source in flow communication with the first region to supply carbon dioxide to the first region;   an alcohol source, the alcohol source in flow communication with the second region to supply alcohol to the second region;   an energy source for applying a current across the anode and the cathode, wherein when current is applied, a first product is recoverable from the first region and a second product is recoverable from the second region.   
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the second region is free of halide ions. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the alcohol includes at least one of methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, phenol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isopropanol, benzyl alcohol, allyl alcohol, a glycol, and a polyol. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the second product recoverable from the second region includes an aldehyde. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the second product recoverable from the second region includes a carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the second product recoverable from the second region includes carboxylic acid and an aldehyde. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the second product recoverable from the second region includes at least one of formaldehyde, formic acid, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, glycolaldehyde, glyoxal, glycolic acid glyoxylic acid, oxalic acid, glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, 2,3 dihydroxypropionic acid, polyol-aldehyde, polyol-ketone, polyol-carboxylic acid, acetone, propionaldehyde, propanoic acid, butyraldehyde, butanoic acid, butanone, hydroquinone, 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, 2,5-cyclohexadiene-1-one, benzoquinone, maleic acid, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, acrolein, and acrylic acid. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the first product recoverable from the first region includes at least one of carbon monoxide, formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, oxalate, oxalic acid, glyoxylic acid, glycolic acid, glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, ethylene glycol, acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ethanol, ethylene, methane, ethane, lactic acid, propanoic acid, acetone, isopropanol, 1-propanol, 1,2-propylene glycol, propane, 1-butanol, and 2-butanol. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the separator selectively controls a flow of ions between the first region and the second region. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the catholyte comprises one or more of water, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, N,N-dimethylacetaminde, dimethoxyethane, diethylene glycol dimethyl ester, butyrolnitrile, 1,2-difluorobenzene, γ-butyrolactone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, sulfolane, 1,4-dioxane, nitrobenzene, nitromethane, acetic anhydride, ionic liquids. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the separator includes an ion permeable barrier. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the separator includes at least one of a solid polymer conductor electrolyte material and a perfluorinated sulfonic acid based membrane, a sodium super-conducting ionic conductor type ceramics.