Electrochemical manufacturing of nanocarbons from carbon dioxide in molten alkali metal carbonate salts: roles of alkali metal cations

doi:10.1007/s40436-015-0125-2

Advances in Manufacturing ›› 2016, Vol. 4 ›› Issue (1): 23-32.doi: 10.1007/s40436-015-0125-2

Electrochemical manufacturing of nanocarbons from carbon dioxide in molten alkali metal carbonate salts: roles of alkali metal cations

Happiness V. Ijije¹, George Z. Chen^1,2

1 Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;
2 Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, and Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, People's Republic of China

收稿日期:2015-04-13 修回日期:2015-10-26 出版日期:2016-03-25 发布日期:2015-12-09
通讯作者: George Z. Chen E-mail:george.chen@nottingham.ac.uk
基金资助:
This research received partial funding from the University of Nottingham (Dean of Engineering Scholarship for H.V.I. in 2011), the EPSRC (EP/J000582/1), and the Ningbo Municipal Government (3315 Plan and IAMET Special Fund, 2014A35001-1).

Electrochemical manufacturing of nanocarbons from carbon dioxide in molten alkali metal carbonate salts: roles of alkali metal cations

Happiness V. Ijije¹, George Z. Chen^1,2

1 Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;
2 Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, and Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, People's Republic of China

Received:2015-04-13 Revised:2015-10-26 Online:2016-03-25 Published:2015-12-09
Contact: George Z. Chen E-mail:george.chen@nottingham.ac.uk
Supported by:
This research received partial funding from the University of Nottingham (Dean of Engineering Scholarship for H.V.I. in 2011), the EPSRC (EP/J000582/1), and the Ningbo Municipal Government (3315 Plan and IAMET Special Fund, 2014A35001-1).

摘要/Abstract

摘要： One simple and fast way to manufacture a useful product from CO₂ is to capture the gas by, and then carry out electrolysis in molten alkali metal carbonates. Carbon electro-deposition in molten Li₂CO₃-Na₂CO₃-K₂CO₃ (molar ratio: 43.5:31.5:25.0) has been widely reported in literature. However, studies in each of the individual alkali metal carbonates either have received less attention or are simply lacking in literature. Electrochemical studies of these molten carbonates are important to understand their underlying processes and reactions during the electrolysis. In this work, cyclic voltammograms (CVs) were recorded in each of the above-mentioned molten alkali carbonate salts using a 0.25 mm diameter Pt wire working electrode. In molten Na₂CO₃ and K₂CO₃, the main cathodic reaction was likely the formation of alkali metal, while that in Li₂CO₃ was carbon deposition. The results also suggest that other competing reactions such as CO and alkali metal carbide formation are possible as well in different molten salts. On the CVs, the anodic current peaks observed are mostly associated with the oxidation of cathodic products. Flake/ring/sheet-like structures and quasi-spherical particles were observed in the produced carbon. The morphology of the carbon contained both amorphous and graphitic structures, which varied with different electrolysis variables.

关键词: Carbon capture and utilisation, Electrodeposition, Cyclic voltammetry, Nanocarbons, Molten salts, Alkali metal carbonates

Abstract: One simple and fast way to manufacture a useful product from CO₂ is to capture the gas by, and then carry out electrolysis in molten alkali metal carbonates. Carbon electro-deposition in molten Li₂CO₃-Na₂CO₃-K₂CO₃ (molar ratio: 43.5:31.5:25.0) has been widely reported in literature. However, studies in each of the individual alkali metal carbonates either have received less attention or are simply lacking in literature. Electrochemical studies of these molten carbonates are important to understand their underlying processes and reactions during the electrolysis. In this work, cyclic voltammograms (CVs) were recorded in each of the above-mentioned molten alkali carbonate salts using a 0.25 mm diameter Pt wire working electrode. In molten Na₂CO₃ and K₂CO₃, the main cathodic reaction was likely the formation of alkali metal, while that in Li₂CO₃ was carbon deposition. The results also suggest that other competing reactions such as CO and alkali metal carbide formation are possible as well in different molten salts. On the CVs, the anodic current peaks observed are mostly associated with the oxidation of cathodic products. Flake/ring/sheet-like structures and quasi-spherical particles were observed in the produced carbon. The morphology of the carbon contained both amorphous and graphitic structures, which varied with different electrolysis variables.

Key words: Carbon capture and utilisation, Electrodeposition, Cyclic voltammetry, Nanocarbons, Molten salts, Alkali metal carbonates

Happiness V. Ijije, George Z. Chen. Electrochemical manufacturing of nanocarbons from carbon dioxide in molten alkali metal carbonate salts: roles of alkali metal cations[J]. Advances in Manufacturing, 2016, 4(1): 23-32.

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Electrochemical manufacturing of nanocarbons from carbon dioxide in molten alkali metal carbonate salts: roles of alkali metal cations

Electrochemical manufacturing of nanocarbons from carbon dioxide in molten alkali metal carbonate salts: roles of alkali metal cations

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