Membraneless electrolysis cell and use thereof in electrolysis reactions

Abstract

A membraneless electrolysis cell, which includes a solid body, the solid body having a central cavity, two housings, at least one secondary cavity, at least one duct for providing a material, two ducts for admitting two electrolyte flows, and at least one supply duct. The cell configuration allows a material, in particular a reagent, to be fed selectively to the anode or cathode, separate from the electrolyte flow.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A membraneless 3D electrolysis cell comprising:
 a solid body delimited by external faces, in particular at least 6 external faces, preferably including at least 4 lateral faces and 2 flat faces, upper and lower, and   a porous anode, and   a porous cathode,   
       said solid body comprising:
 a central cavity, 
 two housings, apical nd basal, 
 at least one secondary cavity, 
 at least one intake duct of material, 
 two inflow ducts for two electrolyte flows, and 
 at least one supply duct, 
 
       wherein:
 said porous anode and said porous cathode are respectively contained in said apical and basal housings, 
 each inflow duct or extends respectively from the central cavity through an orifice to an outer face of the solid body, in particular the external faces on which the two respective ducts open out being different and preferably opposite each other, 
 the at least one intake duct extends from at least one secondary cavity to an outer face of the solid body, 
 the at least one supply duct extends from at least one secondary cavity to the apical and/or basal housings,
 the said at least one intake duct is able of conducting a material from the outside of the solid body respectively to the at least one secondary cavity, 
 the two inflow ducts are able to conduct an electrolyte from the outside of the solid body towards the central cavity and to introduce two electrolyte flows through the respective ends of the inflow ducts, 
 said two inflow ducts are positioned so as to allow the two flows to meet in the central cavity and to cause a separation of each of the electrolyte flows, respectively into two parts, a first part of one of the flows and a first part of the other flow being conducted towards the anode, and a second part of one of the flows and a second part of the other flow being conducted towards the cathode, 
 said at least one supply duct is able of conducting a material from the at least one secondary cavity to the apical housing or the basal housing containing respectively the anode and the cathode. 
 
 
     
     
         25 . The electrolysis cell of  claim 24 , comprising:
 a solid body delimited by at least 6 external faces, including at least 4 lateral faces and 2 flat faces, upper and lower, and   a porous anode, and   a porous cathode,   said solid body comprising:
 a central cavity, delimited by a lateral surface, forming an interface with said solid body, and by at least two edges, respectively apical and basal, forming the apical and basal ends of the central cavity, said central cavity being flanked, on either side of its apical and basal edges, by two housings, apical and basal, 
 at least one secondary cavity, in particular in the shape of a torus, said at least one secondary cavity being located within a portion of the solid body, said portion of the solid body surrounding the central cavity, and being delimited by an outer lateral surface, forming an interface with said solid body, by an inner lateral surface constituted by the lateral surface of the central cavity, 
 and by two surfaces, respectively apical and basal, said at least one secondary cavity being delimited by a surface forming an interface with the part of the solid body, said at least one secondary cavity at least partially surrounding the central cavity on a part of its lateral surface, 
 said apical and basal housings each being delimited by a lateral surface, by at least one edge, and by a flat face forming an interface with said solid body, the edge of the apical housing being located in the plane of the upper flat face of the solid body, the edge of the basal housing being located in the plane of the lower flat face of the solid body, said flat face being parallel to the two flat faces, upper and lower, of the solid body and formed by the surface of the part of the secondary cavity and by one end of the secondary cavity, the flat face of the apical housing being formed by the apical surface of the solid body part and by the apical end of the central cavity, 
 the flat face of the basal housing being formed by the basal surface of the solid body part and by the basal end of the central cavity, 
 at least one intake duct of material, 
 two inflow ducts for two electrolyte flows, and 
 at least one supply duct, 
   wherein:
 said porous anode and said porous cathode are respectively contained in said apical and basal housings, 
 each inflow duct or extends respectively on either side of the central cavity, from a zone of said surface, to a lateral face of the solid body, the faces on which the two respective ducts open out being different and preferably opposite each other, said inflow ducts forming two cell inlets, 
 the at least one intake duct extends from an outer lateral zone of the surface of the at least one secondary cavity to a lateral face of the solid body, the at least one intake duct forming at least a third inlet to the cell, 
 the at least one supply duct, starts from a zone of the apical surface and/or from a zone of the basal surface of the surface of the secondary cavity, and opens out on said apical and/or basal housings, via the flat faces of the said housings, and via the apical and/or basal surface of the part of the solid body, 
   the said at least one intake duct is able of conducting a material from the outside of the solid body respectively to the at least one secondary cavity,   the two inflow ducts are able to conduct an electrolyte from the outside of the solid body towards the central cavity,   said at least one supply duct is able to conduct a material from the at least one secondary cavity towards the apical housing or the basal housing.   
     
     
         26 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , wherein said solid body is in the shape of a parallelepiped, and is in particular in the shape of a cube,
 and/or   wherein the central cavity is substantially in a cylindrical shape, and is in particular in the shape of a cylinder, or is in the shape of a hexagonal prism.   
     
     
         27 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , comprising four secondary cavities, each secondary cavity being in particular in the shape of a half-torus with an oval or circular cross-section, or comprising two secondary cavities, each secondary cavity being in particular in the shape of a torus with an oval or circular cross-section,
 or comprising a secondary cavity, in particular in the shape of a torus with an oval or circular cross-section.   
     
     
         28 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , comprising:
 a central cavity in the shape of a cylinder,   four secondary cavities, each secondary cavity being in the shape of a half-tore with an oval or circular cross-section,   two of said four secondary cavities being connected to the apical housing by a supply duct, and two of said four secondary cavities being connected to the basal housing by a supply duct,   4 intake ducts, each intake duct extending from one of the four secondary cavities,   two inflow ducts, said inflow ducts extend respectively from the central cavity, one opposite the other, and are at substantially the same distance from the apical end and from the basal end of said central cavity.   
     
     
         29 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , wherein said solid body comprises or consists of a mechanically resistant and chemically inert material, in particular suitable for transporting gases and/or organic solvents. 
     
     
         30 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , wherein the solid body comprises or consists of a material chosen from:
 Polypropylene (PP),   polyethylene (PE),   polyvinyl chloride (PVC),   polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE),   polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF),   polyetheretherketone (PEEK),   polyetherketoneketone (PEKK),   acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),   polyoxymethylene (POM),   polyhexamethylene adipamide,   an acrylic or metacrylic polymer, in particular a photopolymerisable resin such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or polymers derived from acrylate, urethane dimethacrylate or bisphenol A dimethylacrylate,   non-conductive composite materials such as ceramic materials, or mixtures of fibreglass and a resin,   said material being optionally reinforced with carbon fibres.   
     
     
         31 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , wherein the porous cathode and/or anode have a theoretical porosity P t  from 60 to 80%, in particular from 70 to 75%, in particular around 73%. 
     
     
         32 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , wherein the distance between the cathode and the anode is from 1 to 6 mm, or less than 1 mm, in particular from 0.1 to 1 mm. 
     
     
         33 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , wherein the porous cathode and/or anode consists of a mixture of:
 carbon black,   an ionic polymer,   optionally a catalyst, and   optionally polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).   
     
     
         34 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , further comprising two gaskets, in particular having a thickness of from 0.2 to 1.0 mm, 
     
     
         35 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , further comprising two closing plates. 
     
     
         36 . The electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , further comprising two current collectors, in particular integrated in the closing plates,
 said gaskets and closing plates being secured to the solid body via at least one mounting hole.   
     
     
         37 . A method of manufacturing an electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , said method comprising the preparation of the solid body, wherein said preparation of the solid body comprises the following steps:
 a 3D printing step A to obtain a raw solid body,   a washing step B to obtain a washed solid body, and   optionally a step C for polishing said washed solid body.   
     
     
         38 . An electrolysis process, the process comprising:
 a step 1 of introducing two flows of electrolyte through the inflow ducts into an electrolysis cell according to  claim 24 , the two flows being directed in opposite directions,   a step 2 of providing a material into said electrolysis cell via the at least one intake duct,   a step 3 of applying a potential difference between the cathode and the anode, in particular 5V,   causing an electrolysis reaction, in particular of the material provided by the at least one intake duct.   
     
     
         39 . The electrolysis process according to  claim 38 , wherein the material provided in step 2 is selected from:
 a reactive gas, chosen in particular from ethylene, CO 2 , CO, O 2 ,   a reactive liquid, in particular selected from H 2 O, an alcohol, in particular methanol or ethanol, or formic acid,   a solution comprising a reagent,   an inert gas, in particular nitrogen,   a coolant or heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         40 . The electrolysis process according to  claim 38 , the process comprising:
 a step 1 of introducing two electrolyte flows through the inflow ducts into the electrolysis cell, the two flows being directed in opposite directions,   a step 2 of providing a material into said electrolysis cell via the at least one intake duct,   a step 3 of applying a potential difference between the cathode and the anode, in particular 5V, causing an electrolysis reaction of the material provided by the at least one intake duct,   
       the material provided in step 2 is chosen from:
 a reactive gas, chosen in particular from ethylene, CO 2 , CO, O 2 , 
 a reactive liquid, in particular selected from H 2 O, an alcohol, in particular methanol or ethanol, or formic acid, 
 a solution comprising a reagent, 
 wherein the electrolyte flow does not include the material provided in step 2. 
 
     
     
         41 . The electrolysis process according to  claim 38 , wherein the material provided to step 2 is a reactive gas, in particular chosen from ethylene, CO 2 , CO, O 2 . 
     
     
         42 . The electrolysis process according to  claim 38 , the process comprising:
 a step 1 of introducing two electrolyte flows through the inflow ducts into the electrolysis cell, the two flows being directed in opposite directions,   a step 2 of providing a material into said electrolysis cell via the at least one intake duct,   a step 3 of applying a potential difference between the cathode and the anode, in particular 5V, causing an electrolysis reaction of a material contained in the electrolyte flows, the material provided in step 2 is chosen from a cooling liquid, a heat transfer liquid or an inert gas, in particular nitrogen.   
     
     
         43 . The electrolysis process according to  claim 38 , wherein the electrolysis is a reduction reaction of CO 2  to CO, said process comprising the following steps of:
 introducing electrolyte flows, in particular a 0.5 M aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, via said inflow ducts, then   providing CO 2  to the cathode via the at least one intake duct, then   applying a potential difference, in particular 5V, between the cathode and the anode, then,   recovering the CO formed at the cathode,   
       wherein the process optionally comprises providing a material to the anode, via the intake ducts, said material being in particular a material that can be oxidised at the anode, and wherein at least two electrolysis cells are used in parallel or in series.