Electrodes/electrolyte assembly, reactor and method for direct amination of hydrocarbons

1. A method for obtaining an electrodes/electrolyte assembly for direct amination of aromatic hydrocarbons, the electrodes/electrolyte assembly comprising

a simultaneously electron and proton conductive anode comprising a composite porous matrix, the composite porous matrix comprising a proton conductive ceramic fraction, wherein the ceramic fraction is barium cerate doped with nanoparticulated yttrium, and a metal catalyst for said direct amination of aromatic hydrocarbons at temperatures lower than 450° C., wherein the metal catalyst comprises nickel, nickel oxide or mixtures thereof, and wherein the porosity of the anode ranges between 10-40%;

an electrocatalyst porous cathode having protonic and electronic conductivity comprising an electrocatalyst;

a proton or ion conductive and electrically insulated electrolyte located between the anode and the cathode, made of a composite ceramic impermeable to reagents and to the products of said direct amination of aromatic hydrocarbon,

wherein the anode and the cathode are electrically connected, and

wherein the anode comprises a catalytic area higher than a catalytic area of the electrolyte and the cathode combined,

wherein the method comprises the following steps

obtaining the anode by mixing the metal catalyst with the proton conductive ceramic, and an organic additive, wherein a proportion of the nickel oxide on the proton conductive ceramic ranges from 30% (w/w) to 70% (w/w), and a concentration of the organic additive ranges from 5% (w/w) to 30% (w/w) in the presence or absence of a solvent to obtain a mixture;

conforming the resulting mixture in a mould and pressing to obtain the anode;

depositing the proton or ion conductive and electrically insulated electrolyte on the anode, and sintering at a temperature between 1300° C. and 1600° C. for 5 h to 24 h, with a heating rate of between 1° C.·min −1 and 5° C.·min −1 in an oxidising atmosphere to obtain the simultaneously electron and proton conductive anode;

depositing the electrocatalyst porous cathode on the anode by co-pressing, co-sintering, spraying wet powder or directly applying commercial pastes; and

sintering the cathode at a temperature ranging from 900° C. to 1100° C., with a rate of heating that varies from 1° C.·min −1 to 5° C.·min −1 , in an oxidising atmosphere.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the organic additive is starch or polyvinyl alcohol.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein additional layers of cathode are deposited and sintered after the deposition of a new layer, till reaching the desired electron conductivity and thickness.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the porosity of the anode ranges between 20-30%.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes/electrolyte assembly comprises a planar or tubular configuration.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal catalyst of the anode is a doped metal with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, cobalt, copper, chromium, tin, strontium, iron, gadolinium, indium, iridium, yttrium, lanthanum, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, niobium, gold, palladium, platinum, silver, praseodymium, ruthenium, titanium, zinc, and mixtures thereof.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the barium cerate doped with yttrium is further doped with zirconium.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the barium cerate doped with yttrium ranged from

70% (w/w) to 30% (w/w).

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, barium, calcium, cerium, copper, strontium, gadolinium, yttrium, indium, lanthanum, niobium, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium, titanium, zirconium or mixtures thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, cobalt, copper, chromium, tin, strontium, iron, indium, iridium, yttrium, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, niobium, gold, palladium, platinum, silver, ruthenium, titanium and zinc.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrocatalyst of the cathode comprises nanoparticulate platinum or nanoparticulate platinum and barium cerate doped with yttrium.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode further comprises at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of aluminum, barium, calcium, cerium, copper, strontium, gadolinium, yttrium, lanthanum, niobium, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium, titanium and zirconium oxides.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the electrolyte ranges between 10 μm and 400 μm.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode is platinum, and the electrolyte is barium cerate doped with yttrium.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode is platinum, the anode is nickel and barium cerate doped with yttrium and zirconium, and the electrolyte is barium cerate doped with yttrium and zirconium.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is benzene and the amination product is aniline.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the organic additive is starch or polyvinyl alcohol.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sintering the cathode at the temperature ranging from 900° C. to 1100° C., is carried out between 1 h to 5 h.