IP Library Granted Patent US 10,648,091
Granted Patent B2
US 10,648,091 · App. 15/586,173 · Granted May 12, 2020

Reactor with advanced architecture for the electrochemical reaction of CO

Inventors: Kendra P. Kuhl (Berkeley, CA); Etosha R. Cave (Berkeley, CA); George Leonard (Berkeley, CA)
Assignees: Opus 12 Inc.; The Regents of the University of California
C25B9/10C25B3/04C25B11/0405C25B11/0415C25B13/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,648,091
App. No.
15/586,173
Granted
May 12, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A platform technology that uses a novel membrane electrode assembly including a cathode layer comprising a reduction catalyst and a first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer, an anode layer comprising an oxidation catalyst and a cation-conducting polymer, a membrane layer comprising a cation-conducting polymer, the membrane layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the anode layer, in a CO x reduction reactor has been developed. The reactor can be used to synthesize a broad range of carbon-based compounds from carbon dioxide.

Claims (38)

1. A membrane electrode assembly comprising:

a cathode layer comprising a reduction catalyst and a first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer;

an anode layer comprising an oxidation catalyst and a first cation-conducting polymer;

a membrane layer comprising a second cation-conducting polymer, the membrane layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the anode layer; and

a cathode buffer layer comprising a second anion-and-cation-conducting polymer, the cathode buffer layer arranged between the cathode layer and the membrane layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the membrane layer.

2. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 1 , the cathode buffer layer further comprising FumaSep FAA-3.

3. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 2 , the cathode layer further comprising FumaSep FAA-3.

4. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second cation-conducting polymer is selected from a group consisting of Nafion 115, Nafion 117, and Nafion 211.

5. A membrane electrode assembly comprising:

a cathode layer comprising a reduction catalyst and a first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer;

an anode layer comprising an oxidation catalyst and a first cation-conducting polymer;

a membrane layer comprising a second cation-conducting polymer, the membrane layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the anode layer; and

a cathode buffer layer comprising FumaSep FAA-3, the cathode buffer layer arranged between the cathode layer and the membrane layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the membrane layer.

6. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cathode buffer layer further comprises a second anion-and-cation-conducting polymer, wherein the first and second anion-and-cation-conducting polymers comprise polyethylene glycol.

7. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cathode layer further comprises FumaSep FAA-3.

8. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first cation-conducting polymer comprises tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4-methyl-7-octenesulfonic acid copolymer.

9. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second cation-conducting polymer comprises tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4-methyl-7-octenesulfonic acid copolymer.

10. A membrane electrode assembly comprising:

a cathode layer comprising a reduction catalyst, a first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer, and FumaSep FAA-3;

an anode layer comprising an oxidation catalyst and a first cation-conducting polymer; and

a membrane layer comprising a second cation-conducting polymer, the membrane layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the anode layer.

11. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a cathode buffer layer, comprising a first anion-conducting polymer, arranged between the cathode layer and the membrane layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the membrane layer.

12. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first anion-conducting polymer comprises FumaSep FAA-3.

13. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second cation-conducting polymer is selected from a group consisting of Nafion 115, Nafion 117, and Nafion 211.

14. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a cathode buffer layer, comprising a first anion-conducting polymer, arranged between the cathode layer and the membrane layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the membrane layer.

15. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first anion-conducting polymer comprises FumaSep FAA-3.

16. A membrane electrode assembly comprising:

a cathode layer comprising a reduction catalyst and FumaSep FAA-3;

an anode layer comprising an oxidation catalyst, and a first cation-conducting polymer;

a membrane layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the anode layer, the membrane layer comprising a second cation-conducting polymer; and

a cathode buffer layer comprising FumaSep FAA-3, the cathode buffer layer arranged between the cathode layer and the membrane layer and conductively connecting the cathode layer and the membrane layer;

wherein at least one of the cathode layer and the cathode buffer layer further comprises a first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer.

17. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second cation-conducting polymer is selected from a group consisting of Nafion 115, Nafion 117, and Nafion 211.

18. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 16 , wherein the cathode buffer layer comprises the first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer.

19. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 16 , wherein the cathode layer comprises the first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer.

20. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 19 , wherein the cathode buffer layer further comprises a second anion-and-cation-conducting polymer.

21. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 20 , wherein the second cation-conducting polymer is selected from a group consisting of Nafion 115, Nafion 117, and Nafion 211.

22. The membrane electrode assembly of claim 16 , wherein the cathode layer comprises the first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer and the cathode buffer layer further comprises the first anion-and-cation-conducting polymer.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2026
From: TWELVE BENEFIT CORPORATION
To: SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 074435/0926 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT OF PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Jul 25, 2025
From: KUHL, KENDRA P.; CAVE, ETOSHA R.; LEONARD, GEORGE; LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY; THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA; TWELVE BENEFIT CORPORATION
To: TWELVE BENEFIT CORPORATION; THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Reel/Frame 072234/0634 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 1, 2025
From: OPUS 12 INCORPORATED
To: TWELVE BENEFIT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071801/0284 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jun 13, 2019
From: UNIVERSITY OF CALIF-LAWRENC BERKELEY LAB
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 049458/0568 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 043975 FRAME 0135. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNEE HAS BEEN CORRECTED FROM LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY TO THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Recorded Aug 24, 2018
From: KUHL, KENDRA P.; CAVE, ETOSHA R.; LEONARD, GEORGE
To: OPUS 12 INCORPORATED; THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Reel/Frame 047527/0829 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2017
From: KUHL, KENDRA P.; CAVE, ETOSHA R.; LEONARD, GEORGE
To: OPUS 12 INCORPORATED; LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY
Reel/Frame 043975/0135 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62331387 · May 3, 2016
Related Publication 20170321333A1 · Nov 9, 2017
Cited By (12)
US 12,286,716 US 12,297,552 US 12,305,304 US 12,320,022 US 12,359,325 US 12,378,685 US 12,416,088 US 12,421,392 US 12,460,310 US 12,480,217 US 12,486,585 US 12,577,690