Applied Interfacial Electrochemical Technology

这笔发现基金将在3个方面推进我的界面电化学研究计划。这项最新研究开发了一种将二氧化碳转化为附加值产品的低能量方法。美国和PCT已经提交了保护这项新的电化学技术的申请，这可能会导致二氧化碳的商业封存和温室气体的价态。这项技术通过电化学激活二氧化碳，从简单的碳氢化合物中生成更长的链分子。这一发现源于PI对固体和液体相互作用的电化学工程表面的研究。继续研究计划的第二个目标是修饰活性碳的表面化学，以便离子带电物种可以在纳米和微孔结构中积累和存储。改进超级电容器电荷存储的工作将继续进行，但在这一应用中，重点将是使用改性活性碳的电容式去离子。这项技术似乎是偏远地区地下水清理的理想选择。这项技术结合了我们的工程活性碳的出色吸附能力和电压场效应，以捕获和隔离地下水污染物。第三个重点领域提出了扩大二氧化碳转化和电容式去离子技术所需的电化学反应器设计。对带电接口的研究是本项目开发新型应用的基础。新的二氧化碳技术使用氧化和还原反应物的同时和独立激活。为了验证概念，生物柴油生产的副产品甘油被用作二氧化碳偶联剂。甘油是生产生物柴油的低价值副产物，是一种理想的起始原料。虽然许多研究小组正在积极研究二氧化碳的电化学还原和甘油的氧化，但这种新的电化学技术耦合了反应物，并限制了氧化和还原的程度，因此只能形成有限数量的产物。因此，分离和产品回收要经济得多。从甘油开始，两种较高相对分子质量的化合物(138和220)被制成液体，可能是新型的、真正绿色的溶剂。这一研究项目创造了一批工商业产品。例如，该研究计划生产了硫磺和生态碳产品。SulfaCHAR在捕获沼气中的气态硫物种并将其转化为浸硫的生物炭产品方面非常有效。EcoCarbon是一种从烟道气中捕获汞的高效碳。CharTechnologies已(2018)收购了这两项产品和专利，用于商业化。通过对反应器的研究，为斯图尔特能源公司开发了一种获得专利的先进碱性电解槽。资金是至关重要的。

This Discovery Grant will advance my interfacial electrochemical research program in 3 areas. The newest research has developed a low energy method of converting carbon dioxide to value added products. USA and PCT applications have been submitted to protect this novel electrochemical technology which potentially could lead to commercial carbon dioxide sequestration and valorization of greenhouse gases. This technology electrochemically activates CO2 to build longer chain molecules from simple hydrocarbons. The discovery has arisen from the PI's research on electrochemical engineering surfaces where solids and liquids interact. The second target in the continuing research program is modification of the surface chemistry of activated carbons so that ionically charged species can be accumulated and stored in the nano and micro pore structures. Work on improving charge storage for supercapacitors will continue but in this application there will be a focus on electrocapacitive deionization using modified activated carbons. This technology appears ideal for remote site groundwater cleanup. The technology combines the excellent absorption capacity of our engineered activated carbons and voltage field effects to capture and sequester groundwater contaminants. The third focus area advances the electrochemical reactor designs needed for scaleup of the CO2 conversion and the electrocapacitive deionization technologies. This research on the electrified interface has been the foundation for the novel applications developed in this program. The new CO2 technology uses simultaneous and independent activation of the oxidation and reduction reactants. For proof of concept, glycerol, a by-product from the production of biodiesel, was used for as a CO2 coupling agent. Glycerol was an ideal starting material since it is a low value by-product of biodiesel production. While electrochemical reduction of CO2 and oxidation of glycerol are actively being studied by many research groups, this novel electrochemical technology couples the reactants and restricts the degree of oxidation and reduction so that only a limited number of products can form. Thus separation and product recovery are very much more economical. Starting with glycerol two higher molecular weight compounds (138 and 220) were produced as liquids and are potentially novel, truly green solvents. This research program has created a number of industrial and commercial products. As examples, the research program has produced the products Sulfachar and EcoCarbon. Sulfachar is highly effective in capturing and converting gaseous sulphur species from biogas into a sulphur impregnated biochar product. EcoCarbon is a highly efficient carbon for capturing mercury from stack gases. Both products and patents have been acquired (2018) by CharTechnologies for commercialization. From the reactor research, a patented advanced alkaline electrolyser was developed for Stuart Energy. Funding is critical.