Electrochemical cell for conversion of carbon dioxide and a stack including the same

Abstract

An electrochemical cell for the conversion of carbon dioxide is disclosed. It features an electrode-solid electrolyte assembly with a solid electrolyte layer comprising a cation exchange solid electrolyte. The anode and cathode are coated on opposite surfaces of this layer, integrated with it, and include respective catalysts and cation exchange binders. Anode and cathode porous transport layers are disposed on the anode and cathode, respectively. Water is supplied to the anode through its transport layer, where it undergoes oxidation, while carbon dioxide is supplied to the cathode through its transport layer, where it undergoes reduction. The cell can produce formic acid, ethylene, propylene, and alcohols. The solid electrolyte layer may include reinforcement and ion exchange layers. The cell may also have anode and cathode bipolar plates and corrosion-resistant coatings. Additionally, an electrochemical stack comprising a laminate of multiple electrochemical cells is disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrochemical cell for conversion of carbon dioxide comprising:
 an electrode-solid electrolyte assembly comprising:   a solid electrolyte layer comprising a cation exchange solid electrolyte;   an anode coated on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and being integrated with the solid electrolyte layer, wherein the anode comprises an anode catalyst and a first cation exchange binder; and   a cathode coated on the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer and being integrated with the solid electrolyte layer, wherein the cathode comprises a cathode catalyst and a second cation exchange binder;   an anode porous transport layer disposed on the anode; and   a cathode porous transport layer disposed on the cathode,   wherein water is supplied to the anode through the anode porous transport layer, where an oxidation reaction of water occurs at the anode, and   wherein carbon dioxide is supplied to the cathode through the cathode porous transport layer, where a reduction reaction of carbon dioxide occurs at the cathode.   
     
     
         2 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one product selected from the group consisting of formic acid, ethylene, propylene, alcohol, and combinations thereof is obtained through the reduction reaction of carbon dioxide at the cathode. 
     
     
         3 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte layer comprises:
 a central portion in contact with the anode and the cathode; and   an edge portion excluding the central portion,   the electrochemical cell further comprises a protective member disposed on the edge portion, and   the protective member is mounted in each of an area defined by one surface of the edge portion and one side surface of the anode; and an area defined by another surface of the edge portion and one side surface of the cathode.   
     
     
         4 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte layer comprises:
 at least one reinforcement layer having a plurality of pores filled with a first cation exchange solid electrolyte; and   an ion exchange layer disposed on at least one surface of the reinforcement layer and comprising a second cation exchange solid electrolyte.   
     
     
         5 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte layer further comprises an antioxidant, and
 wherein the antioxidant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of cerium antioxidants, manganese antioxidants, non-manganese transition metal antioxidants, phenolic antioxidants, phosphite antioxidants, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the anode catalyst comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of iridium oxide (IrOx), ruthenium oxide (RuOx), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises an antioxidant, and
 wherein the antioxidant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of cerium antioxidants, manganese antioxidants, non-manganese transition metal antioxidants, phenolic antioxidants, phosphite antioxidants, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the water supplied to the anode comprises deionized water having a specific resistance of about 18 MΩ·cm or more. 
     
     
         9 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode catalyst comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), indium (In), tin (Sn), mercury (Hg), thallium (Tl), lead (Pb), bismuth (Bi), metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode further comprises an anion exchange binder. 
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode further comprises an antioxidant, and
 wherein the antioxidant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of cerium antioxidants, manganese antioxidants, non-manganese transition metal antioxidants, phenolic antioxidants, phosphite antioxidants, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide supplied to the cathode comprises humidified carbon dioxide having a relative humidity of about 10% to 90%. 
     
     
         13 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the anode porous transport layer comprises an anode macroporous substrate comprising pores having a diameter of about 1 μm to 300 μm, and
 the anode macroporous substrate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium fiber felt, titanium fiber paper, titanium fiber cloth, titanium mesh, titanium foil, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         14 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 13 , wherein the anode porous transport layer further comprises an anode microporous layer disposed on the anode macroporous substrate and comprising pores having a diameter of less than 0.2 μm,
 the anode microporous layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), iridium (Ir), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and combinations thereof, and 
 the anode porous transport layer is laminated on the anode such that the anode microporous layer faces the anode. 
 
     
     
         15 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the anode porous transport layer comprises a corrosion-resistant coating layer disposed on at least one surface of the anode porous transport layer and comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), iridium (Ir), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode porous transport layer comprises a cathode macroporous substrate comprising pores having a diameter of about 1 μm to 300 μm, and
 the cathode macroporous substrate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber felt, carbon fiber paper, carbon fiber cloth, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         17 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 14 , wherein the cathode porous transport layer further comprises a cathode microporous layer disposed on the cathode macroporous substrate and comprising pores having a diameter of less than about 0.2 μm,
 the cathode microporous layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphene nanoplate, carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber and combinations thereof, and 
 the cathode porous transport layer is laminated on the cathode such that the cathode microporous layer faces the cathode. 
 
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an anode bipolar plate disposed on the anode porous transport layer; and   an anode gasket interposed between the electrode-solid electrolyte assembly and the anode bipolar plate,   wherein the anode bipolar plate comprises:   a first anode manifold penetrating therethrough at a predetermined position;   a second anode manifold penetrating therethrough at a position spaced apart from the first anode manifold by a predetermined distance; and   an anode flow channel recessing into the anode bipolar plate from one surface of the anode porous transport layer and thereby connect the first anode manifold to the second anode manifold, and   wherein water supplied through the first anode manifold flows through the anode flow channel and is supplied to the anode porous transport layer.   
     
     
         19 . The electrochemical cell according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cathode bipolar plate disposed on the cathode porous transport layer; and   a cathode gasket interposed between the electrode-solid electrolyte assembly and the cathode bipolar plate,   wherein the cathode bipolar plate comprises:   a first cathode manifold penetrating therethrough at a predetermined position;   a second cathode manifold penetrating therethrough at a position spaced apart from the first cathode manifold by a predetermined distance; and   a cathode flow channel recessing into the anode bipolar plate from one surface of the cathode porous transport layer and thereby connect the first anode manifold to the second cathode manifold, and   wherein carbon dioxide supplied through the first cathode manifold flows through the cathode flow channel and is supplied to the cathode porous transport layer.   
     
     
         20 . An electrochemical stack for conversion of carbon dioxide comprising:
 a laminate in which a plurality of electrochemical cells according to  claim 1  are laminated; and   end plates disposed on both surfaces of the laminate.