# US 10,483,047 B2 · Electrochemical reaction device

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- Number: US 10,483,047 B2
- Document ID: US10483047B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/395,371
- Filed: 2019-04-26
- Published: 2019-08-15
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-18
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Inventors: Akihiko Ono; Satoshi Mikoshiba; Ryota Kitagawa; Jun Tamura; Yoshitsune Sugano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483047B2

## CPC

- C25B 15/02: Process control or regulation
- C25B 1/04: by electrolysis of water
- C25B 1/55: Photoelectrolysis
- C25B 3/07: Oxygen containing compounds
- C25B 3/25: Reduction
- C25B 3/26: of carbon dioxide
- C25B 9/23: comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded
- C25B 13/08: based on organic materials
- C25B 15/027: Temperature
- C25B 15/031: pH
- H01G 9/2013: {the electrolyte comprising ionic liquids, e.g. alkyl imidazolium iodide}
- H01G 9/204: {comprising zinc oxides, e.g. ZnO (H01G9/2036 takes precedence)}
- H01G 9/2045: {comprising a semiconductor electrode comprising elements of the fourth group of the Periodic Table with or without impurities, e.g. doping materials}
- Y02E 10/542: Dye sensitized solar cells
- Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

An electrochemical reaction device includes: an electrolytic solution tank including a first storage part storing a first electrolytic solution and a second storage part storing a second electrolytic solution; a reduction electrode immersed in the first electrolytic solution; and an oxidation electrode immersed in the second electrolytic solution. The second electrolytic solution contains a substance to be oxidized. The first electrolytic solution has a first liquid phase containing water and a second liquid phase containing an organic solvent and being in contact with the first liquid phase. At least one liquid phase of the first liquid phase or the second liquid phase contains a substance to be reduced and is in contact with the reduction electrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of using an electrochemical reactor, comprising:
preparing an electrochemical reactor, the electrochemical reactor having
a tank including a first room and a second room,
a first electrode disposed in the first room and configured to reduce a first substance,
a second electrode disposed in the second room and configured to oxidize a second substance,
a first pipe connected to the first room, and
a second pipe connected to the first room and disposed above the first pipe;
supplying a first liquid into the first room and the first pipe and a second liquid into the first room and the second pipe to form a first electrolytic solution, and supplying a second electrolytic solution into the second room, the first liquid containing water and forming a first liquid phase in the first electrolytic solution, the second liquid containing an organic solvent and forming a second liquid phase in the first electrolytic solution, the second electrolytic solution containing the second substance, and at least one liquid selected from the group consisting of the first and second liquids further containing the first substance;
applying a voltage between the first and second electrodes to reduce the first substance and thus form a reduction product and to oxidize the second substance and thus form a oxidization product; and
recovering the reduction product with the second liquid through the second pipe, and recovering the oxidization product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the second substance includes water, and
wherein the first substance includes carbon dioxide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the organic solvent contains a hydrophobic organic compound.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the first electrode has a first region and a second region,
the first region containing a first reduction catalyst and being disposed closer to a mouth of the second pipe than to a mouth of the first pipe, and
the second region containing a second reduction catalyst and being disposed closer to the mouth of the first pipe than to the mouth of the second pipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the first liquid further contains a first salt or a second salt,
the first salt having at least one element selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, nickel, and cobalt, and
the second salt having at least one element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the electrochemical reactor further comprises a photoelectric convertor having a first surface connected to the first electrode and a second surface connected to the second electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the electrochemical reactor further comprises an ion exchange membrane disposed between the first and second rooms.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the organic solvent has an ionic liquid.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein a concentration of the reduction product in the second liquid phase per unit volume is higher than a concentration of the reduction product in the first liquid phase per the unit volume.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the electrochemical reactor further comprises a second tank to store a third electrolytic solution having a third liquid phase and a fourth liquid phase, the third liquid phase containing the water, and the fourth liquid phase containing the organic solvent,
wherein the first pipe connects the first room and the second tank,
wherein the second pipe connects the first room and the second tank,
wherein each of the first and fourth liquid phases contains an ionic liquid,
wherein at least one liquid phase selected from the group consisting of the third and fourth liquid phases contains the first substance,
wherein a temperature of the first liquid phase is different from a temperature of the fourth liquid phase.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the electrochemical reactor further comprises:
a second tank to store a third electrolytic solution having a third liquid phase and a fourth liquid phase, the third liquid phase containing the water, and the fourth liquid phase containing the organic solvent;
a third tank to separate a part of the reduction product in the second liquid phase;
a recovery device to recover at least part of the first substance in the third liquid phase;
a third pipe connecting the second tank and the recovery device;
a fourth pipe connecting the second tank and the third tank; and
a fifth pipe connecting the second tank and an outside of the second tank,
wherein the first pipe connects the first room and the recovery device,
wherein the second pipe connects the first room and the third tank,
wherein each of the first and fourth liquid phases contains an ionic liquid,
wherein at least one liquid phase selected from the group consisting of the third and fourth liquid phases contains the first substance,
wherein a temperature of the first liquid phase is different from a temperature of the fourth liquid phase.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11,
wherein the electrochemical reactor further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of cooler and heater, the cooler being configured to cool the first liquid phase or an electrolytic solution applied to the recovery device, and the heater being configured to heat the fourth liquid phase.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the electrochemical reactor further comprises a controller to control a ratio of a contact area between the second liquid and the first electrode to a contact area between the first liquid and the first electrode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the second liquid phase is layered on the first liquid phase.