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US 2024/0254641 A1Published application
Surface modification of metal catalysts with hydrophobic ligands or ionomers
AssigneeTwelve Benefit Corporation
InventorsYueshen Wu, Chengtian Shen, Benjamin Kash, Shreeya Negi, Coline Boulanger
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Abstract
Provided herein are hydrophobically-modified metal nanoparticle cathode catalysts for electrochemical reactions. The hydrophobic modifications may be incorporated onto the nanoparticles by either directly binding ligands or ionomers to the nanoparticles, or by indirectly binding an ionomer to the nanoparticle through a linker. The hydrophobically-modified metal nanoparticles may be hydrophobic ally-modified gold nanoparticles.
Claims20
A COx reduction reactor comprising:
- a membrane electrode assembly comprising:
- a cathode catalyst layer, the cathode catalyst layer comprising metal nanoparticles having surfaces, the metal nanoparticles immobilized on a carbon-containing support material;
- an anode catalyst layer;
- and
- a membrane disposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer;
- wherein the metal nanoparticles are modified with at least one hydrophobic moiety, the hydrophobic moiety comprising a ligand, an ionomer or a combination thereof,
- and wherein the ligand or the ionomer is bonded to the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles through a linker.
4 more elements
A method of electrochemically reducing COx comprising:
- (a) providing a carbon oxide to a COx reduction reactor, and
- (b) electrochemically reducing the carbon oxide at a cathode of a COx electrolyzer to produce a carbon containing product,
- wherein the COx reduction reactor comprises a membrane electrode assembly including
- a cathode catalyst layer, the cathode catalyst layer comprising metal nanoparticles having surfaces, the metal nanoparticles immobilized on a carbon-containing support material;
- and
- an anode catalyst layer;
- and
- a membrane disposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer;
- wherein the metal nanoparticles having surfaces are modified with at least one hydrophobic moiety, the hydrophobic moiety comprising a ligand, an ionomer or a combination thereof,
- and wherein the ligand or the ionomer is bonded to the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles through a linker.
7 more elements
A COx reduction reactor comprising:
- a membrane electrode assembly comprising:
- a cathode catalyst layer, the cathode catalyst layer comprising metal nanoparticles having surfaces, the metal nanoparticles immobilized on a carbon-containing support material;
- an anode catalyst layer;
- and
- a membrane disposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer;
- and
- wherein the metal nanoparticles are modified with at least one hydrophobic moiety, the hydrophobic moiety comprises a ligand, an ionomer or a combination thereof,
- and wherein the ligand or the ionomer is directly bonded to the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.