Electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide

Abstract

A system and method for feeding carbon dioxide to a first cathode cavity of a first electrochemical cell, electrochemically reducing the carbon dioxide at a first cathode in the first electrochemical cell to carbon monoxide (CO), flowing the CO from the first cathode cavity to a second cathode cavity of a second electrochemical cell, and forming at least one of ethanol or ethylene from the CO at a second cathode in the second electrochemical cell. The forming of the at least one of ethanol or ethylene from the CO may involve dimerization of the CO at the second cathode to form CO dimer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an electrochemical two-cell apparatus to electrochemically reduce carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide at a first cathode and convert the carbon monoxide into at least one of ethanol or ethylene at a second cathode, wherein the electrochemical two-cell apparatus comprises:
 a first electrochemical cell comprising a first cathode cavity, the first cathode, a first catalyst disposed along the first cathode, a first anode, a first electrolyte to conduct oxygen ions from the first cathode to the first anode, and a first anode cavity to collect and discharge oxygen gas formed from the oxygen ions; and 
 a second electrochemical cell comprising a second cathode cavity to receive the carbon monoxide from the first cathode cavity, the second cathode, a second catalyst disposed along the second cathode, a second anode to generate hydrogen ions, a second anode cavity, a second electrolyte disposed between the second anode and the second cathode to diffuse the hydrogen ions from the second anode to the second cathode, wherein the second electrolyte comprises a proton conductor; 
   a first conduit to supply the carbon dioxide to the first cathode cavity; and   a second conduit to discharge the at least one of ethanol or ethylene from the second cathode cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical two-cell apparatus comprises a barrier dividing the first cathode cavity from the second cathode cavity and that allows for flow of the carbon monoxide from the first cathode cavity to the second cathode cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell share a housing of the electrochemical two-cell apparatus, and wherein the first cathode cavity and the second cathode cavity share a space in the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , comprising a partial barrier in the space that divides the space into the first cathode cavity and the second cathode cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second catalyst to promote, at the second cathode, dimerization of the carbon monoxide into carbon monoxide dimer and hydrogenation of the carbon monoxide dimer via the hydrogen ions into the at least one of ethanol or ethylene. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second catalyst comprises Cu(100) catalyst that is copper having a facet cut of (100). 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a control valve disposed along the first conduit to adjust an amount of the carbon dioxide supplied to the first cathode cavity. 
     
     
         8 . An electrochemical two-cell apparatus comprising:
 a first electrochemical cell comprising a first cathode cavity to receive carbon dioxide, a first cathode to electrochemically reduce the carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and generate oxygen ions, a first anode to receive the oxygen ions, a first anode cavity to collect and discharge oxygen gas formed from the oxygen ions, a first electrolyte disposed between the first cathode and the first anode to conduct the oxygen ions, and a first catalyst disposed along the first cathode; and   a second electrochemical cell comprising a second cathode cavity to receive the carbon monoxide, a second cathode to convert the carbon monoxide into at least one of ethanol or ethylene, a second anode to generate hydrogen ions, a second anode cavity, a second electrolyte to diffuse the hydrogen ions from the second anode to the second cathode, and a second catalyst disposed along the second cathode.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second catalyst to promote, at the second cathode, dimerization of the carbon monoxide into carbon monoxide dimer and hydrogenation of the carbon monoxide dimer via the hydrogen ions into the at least one of ethanol or ethylene, and wherein the second electrolyte comprises a proton conductor. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell share a housing of the electrochemical two-cell apparatus, and wherein the first cathode cavity and the second cathode cavity share a space in the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , comprising in a space a partial barrier that divides the first cathode cavity from the second cathode cavity and allows for flow of the carbon monoxide from the first cathode cavity to the second cathode cavity.