Enrichment Method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of carbon-13 isotope (13C) enrichment, the method comprising: (i) applying a voltage to a cathode located in a cathode chamber of an electrochemical cell; (ii) flowing a feed stream comprising CO2 to the cathode chamber, wherein the feed stream contacts the cathode causing reduction of CO2 to form one or more products; and (iii) unreacted CO2 leaving the cathode chamber, the unreacted CO2 being enriched in 13C as compared to the CO2 in the feed stream, wherein n(13CO2)/(n(13CO2)+n(12CO2)) in the unreacted CO2 is higher than n(13CO2)/(n(13CO2)+n(12CO2)) in the feed stream, n representing molar amount; wherein the voltage is about 1.5 V to about 5.5 V, and flow rate of the feed stream is selected to provide a residence time of about 0.1 seconds to about 5 seconds in the cathode chamber.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.