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UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS Guest
2025-08-21 0:32 |
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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2025 Meeting
Section: Physics and Technology of Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources
Title:
Impact of Ionic Membrane Selection on the Performance of CO₂ Electrolyzers
Authors:
Bogdan MITREA(1), Tom IACOB(1), Cornelia DIAC(1), Cornelia NICHITA(1,2), Adriana Elena BĂLAN(1), Ioan STAMATIN(1)
Affiliation:
1) University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, CTT-3Nano-SAE Research Center, MG-38, 405 Atomistilor Street, 077125, Magurele, Romania.
2) National Institute for Chemical – Pharmaceutical Research and Development, 112 Vitan Avenue, 031299, Bucharest, Romania.
E-mail
bogdan.mitrea@3nanosae.org
Keywords:
PVA-membranes, CO2 conversion, CO2-electrolyser
Abstract:
Addressing global warming requires the development of innovative technologies alongside ensuring their affordability and accessibility. This strategy promotes industrial investment and aids in creating regulatory frameworks by offering realistic and implementable solutions. One promising strategy for recycling carbon dioxide (CO₂) involves its electrochemical reduction into value-added chemicals, such as formic acid, through electrocatalytic reactions. Among the components of a CO₂ electrolyser, the membrane plays a crucial role in determining performance, second only to the electrocatalysts. Ionic conductivity is a key parameter that governs conversion efficiency, with higher conductivity associated with enhanced reaction rates. Various membranes, such as Nafion and anion-exchange membranes, have been investigated for this application. While Nafion and similar cationic membranes have demonstrated limited yields [1], anionic membranes doped with potassium hydroxide (KOH)—such as polyvinyl alcohol-KOH (PVA-K) and imidazolium-functionalized polymers (commercially known as Sustainion)—have shown superior performance. Sustainion currently exhibits the highest Faradaic efficiency among alkaline-doped membranes [2,3]; however, it remains cost-prohibitive, priced at approximately 800 USD per 100 cm². Enhancing the properties of PVA-K membranes through molecular weight modulation, backbone modification, and advanced cross-linking techniques may offer a viable pathway to achieve comparable efficiencies at a lower cost. This study focuses on improving the Faradaic efficiency of alkaline PVA membranes by cross-linking polyvinyl alcohols of varying molecular weights using chemical and physical agents.
References:
[1] RIDGWAY, P. L.; DELACOURT, C.; KERR, J. K.; NEWMAN, J., Design of an electrochemical cell making syngas (CO+H2) from CO2 and H2O reduction at room temperature. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2007, Vol.155, No.1, p. B42-B49.
[2] KUTZ, R. B.; CHEN, Q.; SAJJAD, S. D.; LIU, Z.; MASEL, I. R., Sustainion imidazolium‐functionalized polymers for carbon dioxide electrolysis. Energy Technology, 2017, Vol. 5 No.6, p. 929-936.
[3] LIU, Z.; YANG, H.; KUTZ, R.; MASEL, R. I., CO2 Electrolysis to CO and O2 at High Selectivity, Stability and Efficiency Using Sustainion Membranes. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2018, Vol.165, No.15, p. J3371-J3377.
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