# US 11,898,259 B2 · Electrochemical CO2 conversion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,898,259 B2 - Document ID: US11898259B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/778,995 - Filed: 2020-11-27 - Published: 2023-11-02 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-02 - Assignees: Vito NV - Applicants: Vito NV - Inventors: Maximilian Konig; Metin Bulut; Jan Vaes; Elias Klemm; Deepak Pant - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898259B2 ## CPC - C25B 3/26: of carbon dioxide - C25B 3/07: Oxygen containing compounds - C25B 9/17: Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof - C25B 11/032: Gas diffusion electrodes - C25B 11/037: Electrodes made of particles - C25B 11/051: Electrodes formed of electrocatalysts on a substrate or carrier - C25B 11/065: Carbon - C25B 11/081: the element being a noble metal - C25B 11/091: consisting of at least one catalytic element and at least one catalytic compound; consisting of two or more catalytic elements or catalytic compounds - C25B 15/08: Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes - 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) ## Abstract The present invention is related to the electrochemical conversion of CO2 and provides the use of Gas Diffusion Electrode with an aprotic solvent in such conversion of CO2 as well as an electrochemical cell for use in such conversion. The application and electrochemical cell as herein provided are particularly useful in the conversion of CO2 into oxalate/oxalic acid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrochemical cell for the electrochemical conversion of CO2, said electrochemical cell comprising: (a) a gas diffusion electrode as a cathode; (b) a gaseous CO2 inlet to the gas diffusion electrode; (c) a supporting electrolyte in an aprotic solvent as a catholyte; and (d) an anode, wherein the electrochemical cell is a single-chamber electrochemical cell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein the supporting electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium salts of tetrafluoroborates, tetraalkylammonium salts of perchlorates, and tetraalkylammonium salts of hexafluorophosphates, the supporting electrolyte being dissolved in an aprotic solvent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrochemical cell according to claim 2, wherein the tetraalkylammonium salts are tetraethylammonium salts or tetrabutylammonium salts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein the aprotic solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, and propylene carbonate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electrochemical cell according to claim 4, wherein the aprotic solvent is acetonitrile. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein the anode in the electrochemical cell is a sacrificial anode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electrochemical cell according to claim 6, wherein the anode in the electrochemical cell is a sacrificial zinc anode or a sacrificial aluminum anode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, further comprising a catholyte inlet and a catholyte outlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein the gas diffusion electrode comprises a metal or metal oxide catalyst. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electrochemical cell according to claim 9, wherein the gas diffusion electrode comprises metal or metal oxide catalyst nanoparticles. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electrochemical cell according to claim 9, wherein the metal or metal oxide catalyst comprises a metal catalyst selected from Pb, Ti, Fe, Mo, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The electrochemical cell according to claim 9, wherein the metal or metal oxide catalyst is provided on a porous support. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrochemical cell according to claim 12, wherein the metal or metal oxide catalyst is provided as finely dispersed nanoparticles on the porous support. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The electrochemical cell according to claim 12, wherein the porous support comprises hydrophobic carbon black agglomerates. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein the gas diffusion electrode is a double-layer gas diffusion electrode comprising: a catalyst layer comprising a metal or metal oxide catalyst; and a gas diffusion layer consisting of a hydrophobic porous material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electrochemical cell according to claim 15, wherein the hydrophobic porous material is polytetrafluoroethylene mixed with a pore former. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The electrochemical cell according to claim 15, wherein the gas diffusion electrode comprises a current collector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electrochemical cell according to claim 17, wherein the current collector consists of a layer of an electrochemically inert but conductive material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The electrochemical cell according to claim 17, wherein the current collector consists of a layer of a graphite or a layer of stainless steel mesh. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A method for the electrochemical conversion of CO2, the method comprising: supplying CO2 in gaseous form to the cathode of the electrochemical cell according to claim 1 through the catholyte.