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Highly Efficient Bipolar Membrane CO 2 Electrolysis
Author(s) -
Mandal Mrinmay
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.202100243
Subject(s) - electrolysis , ion exchange , membrane , chemistry , hydrogen , yield (engineering) , inorganic chemistry , layer (electronics) , chemical engineering , ion , electrode , materials science , organic chemistry , electrolyte , composite material , biochemistry , engineering
CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) is a promising way to convert CO 2 into value‐added products. Membrane‐based gas‐phase CO 2 RR offers several advantages like high selectivity and energy efficiency. However, high product crossover and poor CO 2 utilization in anion exchange membranes (AEMs) prevents the utilization of AEMs for CO 2 RR. The acidic environment of the cation exchange membrane can negatively influence the CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) activity by favoring the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Hence, it is necessary to manipulate the local pH environment of the electrodes to yield maximum productivity. Bipolar membranes (BPMs) with a cation exchange layer (CEL) and an anion exchange layer (AEL) help in maintaining different local pH environments at each electrode. Now, a bipolar membrane fabrication with a weak‐acid cation exchange layer removes the possibility of competing HER without affecting CO 2 RR.