Modified electrodes for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide

• Author(s): Machado, A. S. Reis ; Fernandes, T. R. C. ; Pardal, T. ; Rangel, C. M.
• Date: 2011
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.9/1464
• Origin: Repositório do LNEG
• Subject(s): Energy; Carbon dioxide; SOFC; Copper; Nickel
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: English

Description

The efforts to constrain greenhouse gas emissions and concerns over security of fossil fuels have led to increased attention for renewable energy for the past decade. Renewable energy is one of the key solutions to the actual energy challenges. Omnidea in collaboration with Research Institutes is developing a technology based upon a regenerative energy storage cycle that could be a contribution to a low-carbon energy future. In this cycle the recharge system, which is composed of an electrochemical cell, converts CO2 into fuel (hydrocarbons and hydrogen) using an external source of power (e.g. solar power). The discharge system produces electric energy when hydrocarbons and oxygen from the recharge system are directly supplied to a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). Currently state of the art systems for direct electrochemical reduction of CO2 exhibit low current densities and or low Faradaic efficiencies. Thus considerable research activity is still needed to develop electrodes with a performance suitable for an industrial application. This paper describes the progress to date and the work carried out with the aim of achieving this goal. It addresses particularly the modification of electrodes for electrochemical conversion of CO2 and reports voltammetric studies as a tool for screening and optimizing electrodes for CO2 conversion