Sustainable, facile separation of the molten carbonate electrolysis cathode product

1. A process for preparing a solid carbon product by separating electrolyte from a solid carbon nanomaterial/molten electrolyte mixed product removed from the cathode of a carbonate electrolysis, the process comprising:

(i) applying a force to compress a solid carbon nanomaterial/molten electrolyte mixed product to remove an electrolyte;

(ii) removing the force; and

(iii) isolating the solid carbon product,

wherein during the step of applying the force, the solid carbon/molten electrolyte mixed product is compressed directly on the cathode in an electrolysis chamber.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein steps (i) and (ii) are repeated two, three or four times, prior to step (iii).

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the compression is conducted at a pressure of between 10 psi and 100,000 psi.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is removed through an interface with pores.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the interface with pores comprises a porous carbon felt, a graphite felt, a metal mesh, a porous or sieve ceramic, or any combination thereof.

6. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the pore size of the interface is between 10 μm and 10 mm.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process is conducted at a temperature between 399° C. and 900° C.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises applying a vacuum during the separation process.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the process is conducted at a pressure between 0.1 and 0.9 atmospheres.

10. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the process is conducted at a pressure less than 0.1 atmospheres.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process is conducted under a gas that is free of oxygen.

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the gas is selected from nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, methane, ammonia, hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and any combination thereof.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed product is cooled after its formation by electrolysis and reheated prior to the step of applying the force.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is not a flowing electrolyte.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is not recirculated via a recirculation loop.

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solid carbon product has an average thickness greater than 1 millimeter.

17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solid carbon product comprises greater than about 80% carbon nano-materials.

18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solid carbon product comprises greater than about 85% carbon nano-materials.

19. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solid carbon product comprises greater than about 90% nano-materials.

20. The process according to claim 1 , wherein solid carbon product comprises greater than about 95% carbon nano-materials.

21. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the nano-materials comprise nano-fibers.

22. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the nano-materials comprise nano-tubes.

23. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the nano-materials comprise nano-onions.

24. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the nano-materials comprise nano-platelets.

25. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the nano-materials comprise nano-scaffolds.

26. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the nano-materials comprise graphene.

27. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solid carbon product is formed from raw carbon nano-material that agglomerates during the carbonate electrolysis and the isolating comprises filtering the solid carbon product with a filter having pores larger than the raw carbon nano-material.

28. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solid carbon product comprises a paste.

29. A system for separating material from raw product, comprising:

an extraction chamber retaining the raw product;

a force applicator applying a force to the raw product in the extraction chamber;

a collection chamber in flow communication with said extraction chamber to receive material separated by the force applicator; and

a filter positioned between the raw product and the collection chamber to filter the material separated by the force applicator,

wherein during the application of force by the force applicator, the raw product is compressed directly on a cathode in an electrolysis chamber.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the force comprises a compression force, torque, rotational force, or twisting force.

31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the extraction chamber is vertically or horizontally aligned with the collection chamber.

32. A system for separating electrolyte from a solid carbon/molten electrolyte mixed product of a carbonate electrolysis, the system comprising:

an electrolysis chamber having a cathode, electrode and the carbon/molten electrolyte, the cathode accumulating a paste product in response to the carbonate electrolysis;

a collection chamber having a compression apparatus applying a compression to the cathode and paste product to generate a carbon and electrolyte mix, wherein the carbon/molten electrolyte is compressed directly on the cathode in the electrolysis chamber;

a filter removing carbon from the carbon and electrolyte mix and passing electrolyte to the electrolysis chamber.

33. The system of claim 32 , wherein said collection chamber is in flow communication with said electrolysis chamber.

34. The system of claim 32 , wherein said collection chamber is coupled to said electrolysis chamber.

35. The system of claim 32 , wherein said filter has pores.

36. The system of claim 35 , wherein said filter comprises a porous carbon felt, a graphite felt, a metal mesh, a porous or sieve ceramic, or any combination thereof.

37. The system of claim 32 , further comprising a vacuum configured to apply a vacuum when the compression apparatus applies the compression.

38. The system of claim 32 , wherein the electrolyte is not a flowing electrolyte.

39. The system of claim 32 , wherein the product comprises carbon nano-materials.

40. The system of claim 29 , wherein said filter has pores.

41. The system of claim 29 , wherein the filter comprises a porous carbon felt, a graphite felt, a metal mesh, a porous or sieve ceramic, or any combination thereof.

42. The system of claim 29 , further comprising a vacuum configured to apply a vacuum when the force applicator applies the force.