Designing a Zn-Ag Catalyst Matrix and Electrolyzer System for CO2 Conversion to CO and Beyond

Sarah Lamaison; David Wakerley; Frauke Kracke; Thomas Moore; Lan Zhou; Dong Un Lee; Lei Wang; McKenzie A Hubert; Jaime E Aviles Acosta; John M Gregoire; Eric B Duoss; Sarah Baker; Victor A Beck; Alfred M Spormann; Marc Fontecave; Christopher Hahn; Thomas F Jaramillo

doi:10.1002/adma.202103963

Designing a Zn-Ag Catalyst Matrix and Electrolyzer System for CO₂ Conversion to CO and Beyond

Adv Mater. 2022 Jan;34(1):e2103963. doi: 10.1002/adma.202103963. Epub 2021 Oct 21.

Authors

Sarah Lamaison^{1

2

3}, David Wakerley², Frauke Kracke⁴, Thomas Moore⁵, Lan Zhou^{6

7}, Dong Un Lee², Lei Wang², McKenzie A Hubert², Jaime E Aviles Acosta², John M Gregoire^{6

7}, Eric B Duoss⁵, Sarah Baker⁵, Victor A Beck⁵, Alfred M Spormann^{4

8}, Marc Fontecave¹, Christopher Hahn^{3

5}, Thomas F Jaramillo^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Collège de France, Sorbonne University, Laboratory of the Chemistry of Biological Processes, CNRS UMR 8229, Paris, 75231, France.
² SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
³ SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.
⁴ Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
⁵ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA.
⁶ Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
⁷ Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
⁸ Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.

PMID: 34672402
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202103963

Abstract

CO₂ emissions can be transformed into high-added-value commodities through CO₂ electrocatalysis; however, efficient low-cost electrocatalysts are needed for global scale-up. Inspired by other emerging technologies, the authors report the development of a gas diffusion electrode containing highly dispersed Ag sites in a low-cost Zn matrix. This catalyst shows unprecedented Ag mass activity for CO production: -614 mA cm^-2 at 0.17 mg of Ag. Subsequent electrolyte engineering demonstrates that halide anions can further improve stability and activity of the Zn-Ag catalyst, outperforming pure Ag and Au. Membrane electrode assemblies are constructed and coupled to a microbial process that converts the CO to acetate and ethanol. Combined, these concepts present pathways to design catalysts and systems for CO₂ conversion toward sought-after products.

Keywords: carbon dioxide conversion; carbon monoxide; gas diffusion electrodes; mass activities; membrane electrode assemblies; microbial coupling; multiphysics models.

Abstract

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