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: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=747120
• 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.

大气中的高度二氧化碳正在引起气候变化，这会产生更多极端的天气模式，除其他问题。必须加快没有或低二氧化碳排放的能源系统的过渡，但这将需要时间。随着我们朝着可再生能源的未来迈进，我们必须应对当前化石燃料基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）和碳捕获和利用（CCU）。在CCS中，将CO2捕获并注入地质地层。尽管CC可以隔离大量CO2，但只能在有限的位置进行。在CCU中，捕获的CO2用于生产化学物质和燃料。尽管CO2可以直接用作原料，但首先将CO2转换为一氧化碳（CO），然后将CO（通常与氢（H2））一起形成新产品是有利的。二氧化碳可以通过电解转化为CO，其中电力破坏了CO中的CO2。固体氧化物电解细胞（SOEC）使用电力将CO2和H2O转换为CO和H2。像安大略省（Antario）这样的省份，在二氧化碳排放量低的情况下，电力是有充分利用这项技术的省份。此外，SOEC可以非常适合起源于可再生能源的电力，该电能以间歇性操作为特征。在拟议的工作中，我们将考虑如何通过开发一种新的有效，稳定和热循环耐受性SOEC来推动SOEC开发二氧化碳利用。常规的SOEC由陶瓷材料制成。具有出色活性的镍通常用作阴极电催化剂。但是，二氧化碳使其易于碳沉积，从而阻碍了细胞的性能。有希望的替代品（例如钙壶）没有这个问题，但是它们的活动仍然太低而无法有效。金属支持的SOEC（MS-SOEC）融合了沉积在金属支撑上的薄电极和电解质层，为全陶瓷细胞提供了一个很好的替代方法。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，但由于使用的NI，它们易于碳沉积。拟议的工作旨在通过与基于钙钛矿的阴极的开发来结合钙钛矿的焦化耐药性和金属支持的细胞更好的循环耐受性，从而实现高稳定性和对CO2电解的活性。为了实现这一目标，我们将1）更改钙钛矿的组成和结构，以在阴极上开发更活跃和稳定的材料； 2）沉积电纺纳米纤维以形成更活跃的阳极； 3）设计一种程序，以在MS-SOEC阴极处浸润新的阴极钙钛矿材料； 4）结合所有步骤以制造完整的单元格。这将涉及实验，理论研究和高级模拟的组合，以准确预测碳沉积。