Systems, methods, and materials for producing hydrocarbons from carbon dioxide

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods to effectively convert carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons by electrochemical and/or photoelectrochemical methods. In one embodiment, a photoelectro-chemical cell may include an anode, a cathode comprising a carbon material, wherein the carbon material is surface functionalized with at least one poly(ionic) liquid, and wherein at least one metallic nanoparticle is disposed on the functionalized carbon material surface, and an energy source configured to irradiate the anode.

1 . A photoelectrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode;   a cathode comprising a carbon material, wherein the carbon material is surface functionalized with at least one poly(ionic) liquid, and wherein at least one metallic nanoparticle is disposed on the functionalized carbon material surface; and   an energy source configured to irradiate the anode.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode is in contact with water in a first compartment of the photoelectrochemical cell. 
     
     
         4 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 3 , wherein the anode is configured to oxidize water molecules. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode is in contact with carbon dioxide dissolved in water in a second compartment of the photoelectrochemical cell. 
     
     
         7 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 6 , wherein the cathode is configured to reduce carbon dioxide to at least one hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of methanol, methane, isopropanol, formic acid, formaldehyde, glyoxal, ethanol, butanol, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one metallic nanoparticle comprises Au, Ag, Pd, Co, Cu, Pt, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Sc, Ce, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one poly(ionic) liquid comprises 3-ethyl-1-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-methyl-3-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-vinyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-isobutenyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, 1,3-bis(cyanomethyl)imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon material comprises a carbon nanotube, graphene, graphene oxide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a metal or a semiconductor. 
     
     
         15 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrolyte in contact with the first compartment and the second compartment, wherein the electrolyte allows movement of protons from the first compartment to the second compartment through a proton exchange membrane. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The photoelectrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises UV light, visible light, sunlight, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A method of reducing carbon dioxide to one or more hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
 introducing water to a first compartment of an electrochemical cell, wherein the first compartment includes an anode;   introducing carbon dioxide dissolved in water to a second compartment of the electrochemical cell, wherein the second compartment includes a cathode, wherein the cathode comprises a carbon material that is surface functionalized with at least one poly(ionic) liquid and at least one metallic nanoparticle disposed on the functionalized carbon material surface; and   applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to reduce carbon dioxide to one or more hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein applying the electrical potential comprises applying the electrical potential by an external electrical power, irradiation, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein introducing water comprises introducing water to the first compartment of the electrochemical cell, wherein the first compartment includes a metal anode or a semiconductor anode. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein introducing carbon dioxide dissolved in water comprises introducing carbon dioxide dissolved in water to the second compartment of the electrochemical cell, wherein the second compartment includes the cathode, wherein the cathode is a carbon nanotube, graphene, graphene oxide, or any combination thereof that is surface functionalized with at least one poly(ionic) liquid and at least one metallic nanoparticle disposed on the functionalized surface, and wherein the metallic nanoparticle is selected from Au, Ag, Pd, Co, Cu, Pt, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Sc, Ce, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         26 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein applying the electrical potential comprises applying the electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to reduce carbon dioxide to the one or more hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of methanol, isopropanol, formic acid, formaldehyde, glyoxal, ethanol, butanol, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         30 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising isolating the one or more hydrocarbons from the second compartment of the electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         33 . A catalyst comprising an exfoliated graphene, wherein the exfoliated graphene is surface functionalized with at least one poly(ionic liquid), and wherein at least one metallic nanoparticle is disposed on the functionalized graphene surface. 
     
     
         34 . The catalyst of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one poly(ionic) liquid comprises 3-ethyl-1-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-methyl-3-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-vinyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-isobutenyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, 1,3-bis(cyanomethyl)imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         35 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The catalyst of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one metallic nanoparticle comprises Au, Ag, Pd, Co, Cu, Pt, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Sc, Ce, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The catalyst of  claim 33 , wherein the catalyst is an electrode in a photoelectrochemical cell, electrochemical cell, or a fuel cell. 
     
     
         40 . A method of preparing a catalyst, the method comprising:
 oxidizing graphite to form graphite oxide;   exfoliating graphite oxide to form one or more graphene nanosheets;   contacting the one or more graphene nanosheets with a poly(ionic) liquid to form one or more coated graphene nanosheets; and   contacting a metal compound with the one or more coated graphene nanosheets.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein oxidizing the graphite comprises heating a powdered graphite with a mixture of an acid, sodium nitrate, and an oxidizing agent to a temperature of about 0° C. to about 90° C. for about 30 minutes to about 6 hours. 
     
     
         42 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein exfoliating the graphite oxide comprises heating the graphite oxide to a temperature of about 150° C. to about 400° C. in the presence of hydrogen (H 2 ). 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein contacting the one or more graphene nanosheets with the poly(ionic) liquid comprises refluxing the one or more graphene nanosheets with the poly(ionic) liquid and an initiator at a temperature of about 60° C. to about 90° C. for about 10 hours to about 24 hours. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein refluxing comprises refluxing the one or more graphene nanosheets with the poly(ionic) liquid selected from the group consisting of 3-ethyl-1-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-methyl-3-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-vinyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-isobutenyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, 1,3-bis(cyanomethyl)imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and any combination thereof and the initiator. 
     
     
         50 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein contacting the metal compound with the one or more coated graphene nanosheets comprises:
 mixing the one or more coated graphene nanosheets with the metal compound in a solvent to form a solution; and   dielectrically heating the solution.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein mixing comprises mixing the one or more coated graphene nanosheets with the metal compound selected from the group consisting of a Au compound, a Ag compound, a Pd compound, a Co compound, a Cu compound, a Pt compound, a Ni compound, a Fe compound, a Mn compound, a Cr compound, a V compound, a Ti compound, a Sc compound, a Ce compound, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         56 - 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the dielectrically heating the solution comprises heating by a radio frequency energy having a frequency of about 300 MHz to about 300 GHz for about 10 seconds to about 60 minutes. 
     
     
         59 - 60 . (canceled)