A KILÁBALÁS TÉNYEZŐI

Inotai Andrást, a Magyar Tudományos Akadémiai Világgazdasági Kutatóintézetének igazgatóját kérdeztük a világgazdasági válságból való kilábalás lehetőségeiről, az olyan nemzetközi kormányzási mechanizmusok, mint a G20 szerepéről, valamint Magyarország lehetőségeiről

Systematic screening of gas diffusion layers for high performance CO2 electrolysis

Certain industrially relevant performance metrics of CO 2 electrolyzers have already been approached in recent years. The energy efficiency of CO 2 electrolyzers, however, is yet to be improved, and the reasons behind performance fading must be uncovered. The performance of the electrolyzer cells is strongly affected by their components, among which the gas diffusion electrode is one of the most critical elements. To understand which parameters of the gas diffusion layers (GDLs) affect the cell performance the most, we compared commercially available GDLs in the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to CO, under identical, fully controlled experimental conditions. By systematically screening the most frequently used GDLs and their counterparts differing in only one parameter, we tested the influence of the microporous layer, the polytetrafluoroethylene content, the thickness, and the orientation of the carbon fibers of the GDLs. The electrochemical results were correlated to different physical/chemical parameters of the GDLs, such as their hydrophobicity and surface cracking

One-step electrodeposition of binder-containing Cu nanocube catalyst layers for carbon dioxide reduction

To reach industrially relevant current densities in the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, this process must be performed in continuous-flow electrolyzer cells, applying gas diffusion electrodes. Beyond the chemical composition..

Anode Catalysts in CO2 Electrolysis: Challenges and Untapped Opportunities

[Image: see text] The field of electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction has developed rapidly during recent years. At the same time, the role of the anodic half-reaction has received considerably less attention. In this Perspective, we scrutinize the reports on the best-performing CO(2) electrolyzer cells from the past 5 years, to shed light on the role of the anodic oxygen evolution catalyst. We analyze how different cell architectures provide different local chemical environments at the anode surface, which in turn determines the pool of applicable anode catalysts. We uncover the factors that led to either a strikingly high current density operation or an exceptionally long lifetime. On the basis of our analysis, we provide a set of criteria that have to be fulfilled by an anode catalyst to achieve high performance. Finally, we provide an outlook on using alternative anode reactions (alcohol oxidation is discussed as an example), resulting in high-value products and higher energy efficiency for the overall process

Local hydrophobicity allows high-performance electrochemical carbon monoxide reduction to C 2+ products

Tailoring the hydrophobicity of the cathode gas diffusion electrode mitigates flooding in parallel with enhancing the selectivity of the electrochemical carbon monoxide reduction reaction

One-step electrodeposition of binder-containing Cu nanocube catalyst layers for carbon dioxide reduction

To reach industrially relevant current densities in the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, this process must be performed in continuous-flow electrolyzer cells, applying gas diffusion electrodes. Beyond the chemical composition of the catalyst, its morphology, and the overall structure of the catalyst layer are both decisive in terms of reaction rate and product selectivity. We present an electrodeposition method for preparing coherent copper nanocube catalyst layers on hydrophobic carbon papers, hence forming gas diffusion electrodes with high coverage in a single step. This was enabled by the proper wetting of the carbon paper (controlled by the composition of the electrodeposition solution) and the use of a custom-designed 3D-printed electrolyzer cell, which allowed to deposit copper nanocubes selectively on the microporous side of the carbon paper substrate. Furthermore, a polymeric binder (Capstone ST-110) was successfully incorporated in the catalyst layer during electrodeposition. The high electrode coverage and the binder content together result in an increased ethylene production rate during CO2 reduction, as compared to catalyst layers prepared from simple aqueous solutions