Devices and processes for carbon dioxide conversion into useful fuels and chemicals
AssigneeDioxide Materials, Inc.
InventorsRichard I. Masel, Brian A. Rosen, Wei Zhu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electrochemical devices for converting carbon dioxide to useful reaction products include a solid or a liquid with a specific pH and/or water content. Chemical processes using the devices are also disclosed, including processes to produce CO, HCO−, H2CO, (HCO2)−, H2CO2, CH3OH, CH4, C2H4, CH3CH2OH, CH3COO−, CH3COOH, C2H6, (COOH)2, (COO−)2, acrylic acid, diphenyl carbonate, other carbonates, other organic acids and synthetic fuels. The electrochemical device can be a CO2 sensor.
Claims25
An electrochemical device for converting CO2 to a reaction product, the electrochemical device comprising a cathode, a source of CO2 in fluid communication with the cathode, a Helper Catalyst, and a component located within 1 mm of the cathode, wherein the Helper Catalyst is any organic molecule or ion, or a mixture of organic molecules and/or ions, excluding organo-metallic compounds, that does at least one of the following:
- (i) speeds up a chemical reaction, or
- (ii) lowers the overpotential of the reaction,
- without being substantially consumed in the process,
- the component comprising at least one of:
- (a) an electrolyte;
- (b) the Helper Catalyst;
- (c) a solution;
- (d) a liquid;
- (e) a Functional Unit of a polymer chain;
- and
- (f) a solid,
- wherein the component comprises a substance having a pH having a value of 1.1-5.5 when the pH of the substance is measured according to at least one of the following tests:
- Test I:
- measuring the pH of the substance directly, using a pH meter;
- Test II:
- mixing a given volume of the substance with an equal volume of water and agitating, then measuring the pH of the resultant water-rich phase;
- Test III:
- mixing a given volume of the substance with an equal volume of isopropanol and stirring, then measuring the pH of the resultant alcohol-rich phase;
- and
- Test IV:
- mixing a given volume of the substance with an equal volume of isopropanol and agitating, adding 20% water by volume to the alcohol-rich phase, then measuring the pH of the resultant alcohol-rich phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.