Development of carbon resistant Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cells (SOEC) for CO2 utilization

开发用于二氧化碳利用的抗碳固体氧化物电解槽 (SOEC)

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-07268
• 负责人: Croiset, Eric
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=739387
• 关键词: Development; carbon; resistant; Solid; Oxide

High levels of atmospheric CO2 are causing climate change, which creates more extreme weather patterns, among other problems. The transition to energy systems with no or low CO2 emissions must be expedited, but it will take time. As we move towards a renewable energy-based future, we must cope with the CO2 produced by our current fossil fuel-based energy paradigm. Proposed workarounds include carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilization (CCU). In CCS, CO2 is captured and injected into geological formations. While CCS can sequester large amounts of CO2, it can be done only in limited locations. In CCU, captured CO2 is used to produce chemicals and fuels. Although CO2 can be used directly as feedstock, it is advantageous to first convert CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO) and then use the CO, usually with hydrogen (H2), to form new products. CO2 can be converted to CO through electrolysis, where electricity breaks CO2 in CO. Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) use electricity to convert CO2 and H2O into CO and H2. Provinces, like Ontario where electricity is generated with low CO2 emissions, are well-positioned to capitalize on this technology. Furthermore, SOECs can be well-suited for electricity that originates from renewable energy, which is characterized by intermittent operation. In the proposed work, we will consider how to advance the development of SOEC for CO2 utilization by developing a new effective, stable and thermal cycling tolerant SOEC. Conventional SOECs are made of ceramic materials. Nickel, which has excellent activity, is commonly used as a cathode electrocatalyst; however, CO2 makes it prone to carbon deposition which hinders the cell's performance. Promising alternatives, such as perovskites, do not have this problem, but their activity is still too low to be effective. Metal-supported SOECs (MS-SOEC), which incorporate thin electrodes and electrolyte layers deposited on a metal support, provide a good alternative to the all-ceramic cell. Their high tolerance to thermal and redox cycling makes them ideally suited for intermittent renewable energy sources, but they are prone to carbon deposition due to the Ni used. The proposed work aims to combine the benefits of perovskite's coking resistance and the metal-supported cell's better cycling tolerance through the development of a MS-SOEC with a perovskite-based cathode that will achieve high stability and activity toward CO2 electrolysis. To achieve this objective, we will 1) change the perovskite's composition and structure to develop more active and stable materials at the cathode; 2) deposit electrospun nanofibers to develop a more active anode; 3) devise a procedure to infiltrate the new cathode perovskite material at the MS-SOEC cathode; and 4) combine all steps to fabricate a complete cell. This will involve a combination of experiments, theoretical studies, and advanced simulation to accurately predict carbon deposition.

大气中的高浓度二氧化碳正在导致气候变化，从而造成更极端的天气模式以及其他问题。必须加快向无二氧化碳排放或低二氧化碳排放的能源系统过渡，但这需要时间。 当我们迈向基于可再生能源的未来时，我们必须应对当前基于化石燃料的能源范式产生的二氧化碳。建议的解决方法包括碳捕获和储存（CCS）以及碳捕获和利用（CCU）。在 CCS 中，二氧化碳被捕获并注入地质构造中。虽然 CCS 可以封存大量二氧化碳，但只能在有限的地点进行。 在 CCU 中，捕获的二氧化碳用于生产化学品和燃料。虽然CO2可以直接用作原料，但首先将CO2转化为一氧化碳(CO)，然后使用CO，通常与氢气(H2)一起形成新产品是有利的。 CO2 可以通过电解转化为 CO，其中电力将 CO2 分解为 CO。固体氧化物电解池 (SOEC) 利用电力将 CO2 和 H2O 转化为 CO 和 H2。像安大略省这样的省份，其发电二氧化碳排放量较低，处于有利地位，可以充分利用这项技术。此外，SOEC 非常适合来自可再生能源的电力，其特点是间歇运行。在拟议的工作中，我们将考虑如何通过开发一种新的有效、稳定和耐热循环的SOEC来推进CO2利用SOEC的发展。传统的 SOEC 由陶瓷材料制成。镍具有优异的活性，常用作阴极电催化剂；然而，二氧化碳容易产生碳沉积，从而影响电池的性能。有前途的替代品，例如钙钛矿，不存在这个问题，但它们的活性仍然太低而无法有效。 金属支撑 SOEC（MS-SOEC）结合了沉积在金属支撑物上的薄电极和电解质层，为全陶瓷电池提供了良好的替代方案。它们对热和氧化还原循环的高耐受性使它们非常适合间歇性可再生能源，但由于使用了镍，它们很容易发生碳沉积。拟议的工作旨在通过开发具有钙钛矿基阴极的 MS-SOEC，将钙钛矿的抗结焦性和金属支撑电池更好的循环耐受性的优点结合起来，从而实现对二氧化碳电解的高稳定性和活性。为了实现这一目标，我们将1）改变钙钛矿的成分和结构，开发更加活性和稳定的阴极材料； 2）沉积电纺纳米纤维以开发活性更高的阳极； 3) 设计一种将新型阴极钙钛矿材料渗透到 MS-SOEC 阴极的程序； 4) 结合所有步骤来制造完整的电池。这将涉及实验、理论研究和高级模拟的结合，以准确预测碳沉积。