Electrochemical reduction
The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide is the conversion of CO2 to more reduced chemical species using electrical energy and is a promising waste-to wealth approach. This technique operates with high reaction rates and good efficiencies under ambient conditions and easily coupled with carbon-free electricity sources (e.g., wind, solar, hydroelectric) to make the process completely sustainable. Carbon monoxide, ethylene, formic acid and methane are all products accessible through this process. The CO2-to-CO conversion for example, generates a high-value product which can be readily used in the (petro)chemical value chain.
To bring such technologies to the market, a significant development is needed in the key performance indicators. Novel catalysts, electrode assemblies, and cell configurations are all necessary to achieve economically appealing performance. At eChemicles our knowledge and experience has created the best performing technology that combines ALL these elements to powerful effect. This is the SolarCO2ValueTM technology.
What is SolarCO2Value™?
SolarCO2Value™ is the world’s best performing and scalable low temperature electrochemical technology that uses renewable energy to directly convert CO2 into e-chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, ethylene, and other products. Our fully patented cell stack is the first published stacked cell, designed for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (ACS Energy Lett.2019, 4, 1770-1777).
Stacked cell designs are ubiquitous in both fuel cell and water electrolysis (hydrogen) industries and make the processes scalable and more efficient: taking the technology from a lab concept to the real world. Now, with our cell technology, eChemicles is doing the same with electrochemical CO2 reduction. Our technology not only utilizes a carefully engineered stack design to increase scale, but also maximizes the flow of CO2 gas to achieve the best conversion and efficiency.
Why is SolarCO2Value world-leading?
Our first of its kind technology provides an unprecedented combination of key performance indicators, spanning through: CO2 conversion rate, energy efficiency, single pass conversion, longevity, pressure capability and scalability. See some KPIs here:
https://pubs.rsc.org
First: The first published and patented cell stack, designed for electrochemical reduction of CO2.
Performance: Our cell technology, not only utilizes a stacked design to increase scale, but also maximises the flow of CO2 gas through the stack to create best in class conversion and efficiency.
Longevity: The formation of carbonate precipitates is a huge issue in all electrolysers that reacts to CO2 and hinders long-term operation. We have invented a scalable proprietary solution for this problem that significantly extends the lifetime of our CO2 electrolysers and beyond anything that is published by others so far. It forms the basis of our second patent family. See also: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-021-00813-w
Pressure: Our cells CO2 inlet can operate under pressure up to 20 bar (290 psi). Performing the CO2 conversion with a pressurized CO2 inlet is technologically important from multiple aspects. Some of the industrial CO2 point sources are already under pressure, so the technology can be easily implemented, and a pressurized product stream can be more easily transported, handle.