IGF::OT::IGF IN THE COMBINED PHASE I AND PHASE II PROGRAMS FARADAY AND OUR MIT COLLABORATORS WILL DEMONSTRA…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF IN THE COMBINED PHASE I AND PHASE II PROGRAMS FARADAY AND OUR MIT COLLABORATORS WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF LOW-COST FABRICATION OF HIGH-EFFICIENCY, MICROCHANNEL-PLATE REACTORS FOR THE ELECTROCATALYTIC REDUCTION OF CO2 TO CH4. THE PROPOSED CONCEPT IS FOUNDED ON FARADAYIC THROUGH-MASK ETCHING OF METALLIC (E.G., STAINLESS STEEL AND TITANIUM) SUBSTRATES TO FORM SUITABLE MICROCHANNEL ELECTRODES, AND ON PULSE-REVERSE FARADAYIC ELECTRODEPOSITION OF COPPER FOR UNIFORM COATING OF THE CATHODE SURFACES. THE ELECTROCATALYTIC EFFICIENCY OF THE COPPER LAYER WILL BE ENHANCED THROUGH THE USE OF A LITERATURE-REPORTED OXIDE-REDUCTION PROCESS. INCLUSION OF A SUITABLY LARGE DENSITY OF CHANNELS SHOULD RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL ACTIVE AREA IN A COMPACT FORM FACTOR, WHILE ENTIRELY AVOIDING THE COMPLICATIONS OF PACKED-BED TYPE REACTORS. FARADAY PLANS TO FOCUS DEVELOPMENT TOWARD THE ULTIMATE USE OF ROOM-TEMPERATURE IONIC LIQUIDS (ILS), AS THEY AFFORD SUCH ADVANTAGES AS NEGLIGIBLE EVAPORATIVE LOSS, GENERALLY HIGH CO2 SOLUBILITY AND LOW CH4 SOLUBILITY, AND A BROAD POTENTIAL WINDOW OF ELECTROCHEMICAL INERTNESS. THE PARTICULAR CHALLENGE OF GAS-LIQUID SEPARATIONS IN MICROGRAVITY, WHERE BUOYANT EFFECTS CANNOT BE EXPLOITED, WILL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH A NOVEL CENTRIPETAL APPLICATION OF AN ESTABLISHED SPIRALCHANNEL MICROFLUIDIC CONCEPT. THE ENVISIONED SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN THIS PROPOSAL CONSISTS OF THREE DISTINCT UNIT OPERATIONS: (1) AN ABSORBER WHICH "GETTERS" GASEOUS CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE USING A WET ROOM TEMPERATURE IL-BASED ELECTROLYTE, (2) A MICROFLUIDIC ELECTROREACTOR WHICH EFFICIENTLY CONVERTS THE CO2 TO CH4 WITH OXYGEN BEING GENERATED AS USEFUL BY-PRODUCT, AND (3) A SPIRAL-CHANNEL GAS-LIQUID SEPARATOR TO REMOVE THE CH4 AND O2 FROM THE IL STREAM WHICH IS RECYCLED TO THE ABSORBER.