IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,595,572
Granted Patent B2
US 12,595,572 · App. 18/656,757 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Systems and methods for electrochemical generation of syngas and other useful chemicals

Inventors: Curtis Berlinguette (Vancouver, CA); Danielle Salvatore (Vancouver, CA); Tengfei Li (Vancouver, CA); Maxwell Goldman (Vancouver, CA); Eric Lees (Vancouver, CA)
Assignee: The University of British Columbia
C25B1/23B01D53/1475B01D53/62B01D53/73C25B1/02C25B9/19C25B15/08B01D2252/602B01D2257/504
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,595,572
App. No.
18/656,757
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Processes and apparatus for electrocatalytically converting carbon dioxide emissions and/or ambient carbon dioxide into useful chemicals are described. The process may include: removing carbon dioxide from ambient air through a carbon capture technique, supplying a carbonate or bicarbonate aqueous solution as cathode feed to a cathode of an electrolytic cell comprising a membrane electrode assembly which includes a bipolar membrane separating an anode from the cathode, and applying an electrical potential difference between the cathode and the anode of the membrane electrode assembly to electrocatalytically reduce the carbonate or bicarbonate aqueous solution to carbon monoxide or another useful chemical.

Claims (24)

1 . A carbon capture method comprising:

(a) providing an electrochemical reactor comprising a membrane electrode assembly comprising an anode, a cathode, and a bipolar membrane separating the anode from the cathode, wherein the electrochemical reactor comprises a cathode feed comprising an aqueous solution comprising carbonate and/or bicarbonate, and wherein the aqueous solution is generated by removing carbon dioxide from a source of carbon dioxide;

(b) providing a gaseous stream to the cathode feed comprising the aqueous solution, and supplying the cathode feed into the electrochemical reactor;

(c) using the membrane electrode assembly to cause an electrochemical reaction in the presence of the aqueous solution to yield a carbon-containing product, wherein a concentration of the carbon dioxide in the aqueous solution is below 7 mM; and

(d) removing the carbon-containing product from the electrochemical reactor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous stream comprises carbon dioxide or nitrogen.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing product comprises carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical reaction further yields hydrogen gas.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises bicarbonate at a concentration of at least 3 moles/liter.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane electrode assembly causes the electrochemical reaction at least in part using power having a current density of at least 25 mA/cm 2 and at most 100 mA/cm 2 .

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical reactor is operated at a temperature not exceeding 150° C.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a pressure of electrochemical reactor at 2 atmospheres or less.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the carbonate and/or bicarbonate in the aqueous solution is 0.5 M or higher.

10 . A carbon capture method comprising:

(a) providing an electrochemical reactor comprising a membrane electrode assembly comprising an anode, a cathode, and a bipolar membrane separating the anode from the cathode, wherein the electrochemical reactor comprises an aqueous solution comprising carbonate and/or bicarbonate, wherein the aqueous solution is generated by removing carbon dioxide from a source of carbon dioxide;

(b) using the membrane electrode assembly to cause an electrochemical reaction in the presence of the aqueous solution to yield a carbon-containing product, wherein a concentration of the carbon dioxide in the aqueous solution is below 7 mM; and

(c) removing the carbon-containing product from the electrochemical reactor.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the carbon-containing product comprises carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electrochemical reaction further yields hydrogen gas.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises bicarbonate at a concentration of at least 3 moles/liter.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the membrane electrode assembly causes the electrochemical reaction at least in part using power having a current density of at least 25 mA/cm 2 and at most 100 mA/cm 2 .

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electrochemical reactor is operated at a temperature not exceeding 150° C.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising maintaining a pressure of the electrochemical reactor at 2 atmospheres or less.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a concentration of the carbonate and/or bicarbonate in the aqueous solution is 0.5 M or higher.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2024
From: BERLINGUETTE, CURTIS; LI, TENGFEI; SALVATORE, DANIELLE; LEES, ERIC; GOLDMAN, MAXWELL
To: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Reel/Frame 067333/0766 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17050319
Provisional Application 62662391 · Apr 25, 2018
Related Publication 20240368776A1 · Nov 7, 2024
References Cited (72)
US 8163066B2 · Eisenberger · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8535502B2 · Littau et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20090120288A1 · Lackner et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100135865A1 · Constantz et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20120174778A1 · Eisenberger · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130105304A1 · Kaczur · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20190127865A1 · Li et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20210002775A1 · Matsumoto · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210047743A1 · Goetheer · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210164117A1 · Fujinuma · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CA 2950294C · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 102912374B · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 106006554B · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 107868962B · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108193228B · 2019 [cited by applicant]
DE 102015209509A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
DE 102016220297A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
EP 2163294B1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
EP 3378967A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 20130083217A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 20170114870A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009012154A2 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009048685A1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2010022339A2 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011056183A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012055035A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016039999A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017014635A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019049476A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019051609A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020010447A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Li et al., Bipolar Membranes Inhibit Product Crossover in CO2 Electrolysis Cells, 2 Adv. Sustainable Syst. 1700187 (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
Kim et al., Original and Machine Translation, KR 20180024424 A (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
Chen, Y. et al., “Aqueous CO2 reduction at very low overpotential on oxide-derived Au nanoparticles” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012 (134) 19969-19972. [cited by applicant]
Chu, S. et al., “Tunable Syngas Production from CO2 and H2O in an Aqueous Photoelectrochemical Cell”, Angewandte Chemie, vol. 55, issue 46, Nov. 7, 2016, 14262-14266. [cited by applicant]
Delacourt, C. et al., “Design of an Electrochemical Cell Making Syngas (CO+H2) from CO2 and H2O Reduction at Room Temperature”, J. Electrochem. Soc. 155, B42-B49 (2008). [cited by applicant]
Dufek, E. J. et al., “Bench-scale electrochemical system for generation of CO and syn-gas”, J. Appl. Electrochem. 41, 623-631 (2011). [cited by applicant]
Dunwell, M. et al., “The Central Role of Bicarbonate in the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide on Gold”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 139, 3774-3783 (2017). [cited by applicant]
Eisaman, M. D. et al., “CO2 separation using bipolar membrane electrodialysis”, Energy & Environmental Science 2011, 4 (4), 1319-1328. [cited by applicant]
Gupta, N. et al., “Calculation for the cathode surface concentrations in the electrochemical reduction of CO2 in KHCO3 solutions”, J. App. Electrochem. 36, 161-172 (2006). [cited by applicant]
He, J. et al., “Electrocatalytic Alloys for CO2 Reduction”, ChemSusChem 11, 48-57 (2018). [cited by applicant]
Hofbauer, H. et al., “Report on gas cleaning for synthesis applications”, ThermalNet (2007), Vienna, University of Technology Institute of Chemical Engineering. [cited by applicant]
Hori, Y. et al., “Electrolytic Reduction of Bicarbonate Ion at a Mercury Electrode”, J. Electrochem. Soc. 130, 2387-2390 (1983). [cited by applicant]
Hu, G. et al., “Screening Amino Acid Salts as Rate Promoters in Potassium Carbonate Solvent for Carbon Dioxide Absorption”, Energy Fuels 2017, 31, 4280-4286. [cited by applicant]
Hu, G. et al., “Enzymatic carbon dioxide capture using a thermally stable carbonic anhydrase as a promoter in potassium carbonate solvents”, Chemical Engineering Journal, vol. 307, Jan. 1, 2017, 49-55. [cited by applicant]
Keith, D.W. et al., “A Process for Capturing CO2 from the Atmosphere”, Joule 2, 1573-1594, Aug. 15, 2018. [cited by applicant]
Kortlever, R. et al., “Electrochemical carbon dioxide and bicarbonate reduction on copper in weakly alkaline media”, J. Sold State Electrochem. 17, 1843-1849 (2013). [cited by applicant]
Kulh, K. P. et al., “New insights into the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide on metallic copper surfaces”, Energy Environ. Sci. 5, 7050-7059 (2012). [cited by applicant]
Kutz, R. B. et al., “Sustainion Imidazolium-Functionalized Polymers for Carbon Dioxide Electrolysis” Energy Technol. 5, 929-936 (2017). [cited by applicant]
Li, T. et al., “Electrolytic CO2 Reduction in Tandem with Oxidative Organic Chemistry”, ACS Cent. Sci. 3, 778-783 (2017). [cited by applicant]
Li, Y. C. et al., “Electrolysis of CO2 to Syngas in Bipolar Membrane-Based Electrochemical Cells”, ACS Energy Lett. 1, 1149-1153 (2016). [cited by applicant]
Liao, P.-Q. et al., “Monodentate hydroxide as a super strong yet reversible active site for CO2 capture from high-humidity flue gas”, Energy & Environmental Science 2015, 8 (3), 1011-1016. [cited by applicant]
Lin, S. et al., “Covalent organic frameworks comprising cobalt porphyrins for catalytic CO2 reduction in water”, Science 349, 1208-1213 (2015). [cited by applicant]
Liu, M. et al., “Enhanced electrocatalytic CO2 reduction via field-induced reagent concentration”, Nature 537, 382 (2016). [cited by applicant]
Mariano, R. G. et al., “Selective increase in CO2 electroreduction activity at grain-boundary surface terminations”, Science 358, 1187-1192 (2017). [cited by applicant]
Min, X. et al., “Pd-catalyzed electrohydrogenation of carbon dioxide to formate: high mass activity at low overpotential and identification of the deactivation pathway”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137, 4701-4708 (2015). [cited by applicant]
Qiao, J. et al., “A review of catalysts for the electroreduction of carbon dioxide to produce low-carbon fuels”, Chem. Soc. Rev. 43, 631-675 (2014). [cited by applicant]
Rochelle, G. T., “Amine Scrubbing for CO2 Capture”, Science, vol. 325, issue 5948, 1652-1654, Sep. 25, 2009. [cited by applicant]
Salvatore, D. A. et al., “Electrolysis of Gaseous CO2 to CO in a Flow Cell with a Bipolar Membrane”, ACS Energy Lett. 3, 149-154 (2018). [cited by applicant]
Shah, A.H. et al., “Revisiting Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 on Cu Electrode: Where Do We Stand about the Intermediates?”, J. Phys. Chem. C 2018, 122, 18528-18536. [cited by applicant]
Singh, M. R. et al., “Hydrolysis of Electrolyte Cations Enhances the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 over Ag and Cu”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138, 13006-13012 (2016). [cited by applicant]
Spichiger-Ulmann, M. et al., “Electrochemical reduction of bicarbonate ions at a bright palladium cathode”, J. Chem. Soc. Lond. Faraday Trans. 1 (81), 713-716 (1985). [cited by applicant]
Sreekanth, N. et al., “Selective reduction of CO2 to formate through bicarbonate reduction on metal electrodes: new insights gained from SG/TC mode of SECM”, Chem. Commun. 50, 11143-11146 (2014). [cited by applicant]
Weekes, D. M. et al., “Electrolytic CO2 Reduction in a Flow Cell”, Acc. Chem. Res. (2018), doi:10.1021/acs. accounts.8b00010. [cited by applicant]
Whipple, D. T. et al., “Microfluidic Reactor for the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide: The Effect of pH”, Electrochem. Solid-State Lett. 13, B109-B111 (2010). [cited by applicant]
Wiebe, R. et al., “The Solubility of Carbon Dioxide in Water at Various Temperatures from 12 to 40° and at Pressures to 500 Atmospheres. Critical Phenomena*”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 62, 815-817 (1940). [cited by applicant]
Willauer, H. D. et al., “Development of an Electrochemical Acidification Cell for the Recovery of CO2 and H2 from Seawater II. Evaluation of the Cell by Natural Seawater”, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 201… [cited by applicant]
Wuttig, A. et al., “Bicarbonate Is Not a General Acid in Au-Catalyzed CO2 Electroreduction”, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2017, 139 (47), 17109-17113. [cited by applicant]
Wuttig, A. et al., “Impurity Ion Complexation Enhances Carbon Dioxide Reduction Catalysis”, ACS Cata.5, 4479-4484 (2015). [cited by applicant]
Yu, Y. et al., “Enzymatic conversion of CO2 to bicarbonate in functional mesoporous silica”, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, vol. 153, May 1, 2012, 166-170. [cited by applicant]
Zhong, H. et al., “Effect of CO2 Bubbling into Aqueous Solutions Used for Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 for Energy Conversion and Storage”, J. Phys. Chem. C 119, 55-61 (2015). [cited by applicant]
Zhu, S. et al., “Direct Observation on Reaction Intermediates and the Role of Bicarbonate Anions in CO2 Electrochemical Reduction Reaction on Cu Surfaces”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 139, 15664-15667 (2017). [cited by applicant]