Applied Interfacial Electrochemical Technology

这项发现基金将在3个领域推进我的界面电化学研究项目。最新的研究开发了一种将二氧化碳转化为增值产品的低能耗方法。美国和PCT申请已经提交，以保护这种新的电化学技术，它可能导致商业二氧化碳封存和温室气体的增值。这项技术通过电化学方法激活二氧化碳，使简单的碳氢化合物形成更长的分子链。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。正在进行的研究计划的第二个目标是改变活性炭的表面化学性质，使带离子的物质能够在纳米和微孔结构中积累和储存。改进超级电容器电荷存储的工作将继续进行，但在这种应用中，将重点放在使用改性活性炭的电容性去离子上。这项技术似乎是偏远地区地下水净化的理想选择。该技术结合了我们工程活性炭的优异吸收能力和电压场效应来捕获和隔离地下水污染物。第三个重点领域是推进二氧化碳转化放大所需的电化学反应器设计和电容去离子技术。对带电界面的研究为该程序开发的新应用奠定了基础。新的CO2技术使用同时和独立激活氧化和还原反应物。为了验证这一概念，生物柴油生产的副产品甘油被用作二氧化碳偶联剂。甘油是一种理想的起始原料，因为它是生物柴油生产的低价值副产品。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将反应物偶联，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，分离和产品回收是非常经济的。从甘油开始，两种更高分子量的化合物（138和220）以液体的形式生产出来，它们是潜在的新型、真正的绿色溶剂。这个研究项目已经创造了许多工业和商业产品。例如，该研究项目已生产出Sulfachar和EcoCarbon产品。硫酸盐在捕获气态硫并将其转化为硫浸渍生物炭产品方面非常有效。eccarbon是一种高效的碳，可以从烟囱气体中捕获汞。CharTechnologies已于2018年获得产品和专利，用于商业化。通过反应器的研究，为斯图亚特能源公司开发了一种先进的碱性电解槽。资金至关重要。

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.