Flow cell cavity assisted catalyst system

Abstract

A catalyst system includes a flow-cell cavity, a pair of spaced apart mirrors disposed in the flow-cell cavity, a nanostructured textile catalyst disposed in the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors, and an energy source configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) waves into the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors. Also, the pair of spaced-apart mirrors are configured to trap the EMR waves such that polaritons are formed within the flow-cell cavity and a catalytic reaction of a molecule in the flow-cell cavity is altered compared to when the polaritons are not formed within the flow-cell cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catalyst system comprising:
 a flow-cell cavity;   a pair of spaced apart mirrors disposed in the flow-cell cavity;   a nanostructured textile catalyst disposed in the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors; and   an energy source configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) waves into the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors, the pair of spaced apart mirrors configured to trap the EMR waves such that polaritons are formed within the flow-cell cavity and a catalytic reaction of a molecule in the flow-cell cavity is altered.   
     
     
         2 . The catalyst system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pair of spaced apart mirrors comprise a pair of gold-coated windows. 
     
     
         3 . The catalyst system according to  claim 2  further comprising a pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers disposed in the flow-cell cavity and the pair of gold-coated windows are disposed on the pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers. 
     
     
         4 . The catalyst system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pair of spaced apart mirrors comprise a pair of dielectric layers. 
     
     
         5 . The catalyst system according to  claim 4  further comprising a pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers disposed in the flow-cell cavity and the pair of dielectric layers are disposed on the pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers. 
     
     
         6 . The catalyst system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow-cell cavity is a water flow-cell cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The catalyst system according to  claim 6 , wherein the nanostructured textile catalyst comprises a water electrolysis catalytic material. 
     
     
         8 . The catalyst system according to  claim 7 , wherein the water electrolysis catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, ruthenium, osmium, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The catalyst system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow-cell cavity is a carbon dioxide flow-cell cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The catalyst system according to  claim 9 , wherein the nanostructured textile catalyst comprises a carbon dioxide reduction catalytic material. 
     
     
         11 . The catalyst system according to  claim 10 , wherein the carbon dioxide reduction catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of copper, copper alloys, iron, iron alloys, tungsten carbide, and graphene. 
     
     
         12 . The catalyst system according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is a light source. 
     
     
         13 . The catalyst system according to  claim 12 , wherein the light source is a laser. 
     
     
         14 . The catalyst system according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is a microwave source. 
     
     
         15 . The catalyst system according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the pair of spaced apart mirrors is a function of a vibration magnitude of the molecule in the flow-cell cavity. 
     
     
         16 . A catalyst system comprising:
 a flow-cell cavity;   a pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers disposed in the flow-cell cavity;   a pair of spaced apart mirrors disposed on the pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers;   a nanostructured textile catalyst disposed in the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors; and   an energy source configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) waves into the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors, the pair of spaced apart mirrors configured to trap the EMR waves such that polaritons are formed within the flow-cell cavity and a catalytic reaction of a molecule in the flow-cell cavity is altered.   
     
     
         17 . The catalyst system according to  claim 16 , wherein a distance between the pair of spaced apart mirrors is a function of a vibration magnitude of the molecule in the flow-cell cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The catalyst system according to  claim 16 , wherein the pair of spaced apart mirrors are selected from the group consisting a pair of gold-coated windows and a pair dielectric layers. 
     
     
         19 . A catalyst system comprising:
 a flow-cell cavity;   a pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers disposed in the flow-cell cavity;   a pair of spaced apart mirrors disposed on the pair of spaced apart gas diffusion layers, the pair of spaced apart mirrors separated by a distance that is a function of a vibration magnitude of a molecule in the flow-cell cavity, the pair of spaced apart mirrors selected from the group consisting a pair of gold-coated windows and a pair dielectric layers;   a nanostructured textile catalyst disposed in the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors; and   an energy source configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) waves into the flow-cell cavity between the pair of spaced apart mirrors, the pair of spaced apart mirrors configured to trap the EMR waves such that polaritons are formed within the flow-cell cavity and a catalytic reaction of a molecule in the flow-cell cavity is altered.   
     
     
         20 . The catalyst system according to  claim 19 , wherein the molecule in the flow-cell cavity is selected from the group consisting of a water molecule and a carbon dioxide molecule, and the nanostructured textile catalyst is selected from the group consisting of a water electrolysis nanostructured textile catalyst and a carbon dioxide reduction nanostructured textile catalyst.