1. Introduction

A complete 5 cm² Formic Acid electrolyzer.

This electrolyzer converts CO₂ into formic acid. It uses a three-compartment design with a anode compartment, a center flow compartment containing a cation exchange media and a cathode compartment where the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to formic acid occurs.

2. Components

- titanium anode flow field

- central compartment

- ion exchange media

- 904 L stainless steel cathode flow field

- catalyst covered electrodes for anode and cathode of 5 cm² cell

- Nafion membrane

- Sustainion membrane

- nuts, bolts, o-rings, gaskets, insulating kit

- electrolyzer testing service.

Note: these are built and tested to order. Shipment usually occurs 10 business days after order is placed.

***Buyer represents and warrants that all uses of Product will be for Buyer's own use, which means, in particular, that Buyer will not sell, distribute, or transfer Product, whether directly or indirectly, to any class of trade (each a Product Diversion ). Any Product Diversion shall be considered a material breach of this Purchase Contract. The Products contain chemical substances not on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA ) inventory. Samples may be hazardous. Buyer represents and warrants that it will only use the samples for research and development purposes under the supervision of a technically qualified individual.

Dioxide Materials Has Developed CO₂ Electrolyzers With Record Performance

- Currents up to 500 mA/cm² at 3 V

- Selectivity (Faraday efficiency) above 95%

- Only 6 μV/hr voltage increase, equivalent to a 4 year lifetime

- Stable performance demonstrated in 6 month run

- Can be integrated with an ethanol fermenter to increase ethanol production

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

Initial set up for DM Formic Acid Electrolyzer

-System set up (recommended)

Typically, the system setup uses one peristaltic pump to circulate DI water (from the reservoir) into the anode chamber at a flowrate of 3 mL/min, and one peristaltic pump to feed DI water (from the reservoir) to the central compartment at a suggested flowrate of 0.065 mL/min through the inlets located at the backside of the anode flow field. The flowrate of DI water into central compartment can be adjusted to vary the concentration of produced formic acid. Normally, a slow central compartment flowrate is in favor of the production of higher concentration of formic acid, with decreased Faradaic efficiency. The suggested tubing used is a 1/8” OD, 1/16” ID PTFE tubing. Pure CO₂ from cylinder is humidified with water using a bottle humidifier (sold separately) and then fed to the cathode chamber at a flow rate of 30 sccm.

-Tubing Connections

i) Cathode: remove the nuts from compression fittings and remove black rubber rods from the nuts. Push the tubing (1/8” OD, PTFE) through the nuts, turn the nuts with tubing inside onto the compression fittings. Connect the tubing (PTFE, 1/8”OD) from CO₂ humidifier to the compression fitting at the top of cathode (stainless steel flow field), tighten the nuts with fingers only; Connect another tubing (PTFE, 1/8” OD) to the compression fitting at the bottom of cathode, route to the catholyte collector and then to THE EXHAUST. Please note that CO is poisonous and H₂ is flammable, so please do not emit or release the cathode gas product into lab or working area.

ii) Anode: Remove the nuts from all the compression fittings and remove the black rubber rods from the nuts. Push the tubing (1/8” OD, PTFE) through the nuts, turn the nuts with tubing inside onto the compression fittings. Follow the labels of the compression fittings and connect all the tubing (1/8” OD, PTFE) accordingly. Tighten the nuts with fingers only.

-Power Connections

Locate the threaded hole for wire connection on top of the cell (smaller through-hole 8-32 thread). Then connect the ring terminal with the Phillips round head screw (#8). Use this same procedure for both anode and cathode.

Figure 1 (left). The electrolyzer setup. Figure 2 (right). Diagram of the 5 cm² Formic Acid cell

Cell Testing and Operation

Begin pumping DI water from reservoir to the inlet of the anode chamber at a rate of 3 mL/min and to the inlet of the central compartment at a flowrate of 0.065 mL/min, and feeding CO₂ through a bottle humidifier to the inlet of the cathode chamber at a flowrate of 30 sccm. Connect the anode electrical lead (red) and cathode electrical lead (black) to the positive and negative connections, respectively, on the power supply with electric wires/cables (not included).

Set the power supply voltage at 4.5 -5.0V and current at 0.5 A (0.1A/cm²) at the beginning of the testing. As the voltage decreases over time and stabilizes, progressively increase the current to 0.6A, 0.8A, 1.0A. The electrolyzer will reach stable conditions in several hours depending on the cell membrane and electrode conditioning. Testing can also be done with potentiostat, but the connections depend on the testing protocol. For long term testing, a reversed polarity treatment at 1.5 V for 30 second is recommended for every ~100 hours to maintain the cell performance.

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Partial references citing our materials (from Google Scholar)

Carbon Dioxide Reduction

1. ACS Nano Strain Relaxation in Metal Alloy Catalysts Steers the Product Selectivity of Electrocatalytic CO₂ Reduction

The bipolar membrane (Fumasep FBM) in this paper was purchased from SCI Materials Hub, which was used in rechargeable Zn-CO₂ battery tests. The authors reported a strain relaxation strategy to determine lattice strains in bimetal MNi alloys (M = Pd, Ag, and Au) and realized an outstanding CO₂-to-CO Faradaic efficiency of 96.6% with outstanding activity and durability toward a Zn-CO₂ battery.

2. Front. Chem. Boosting Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction on Atomically Dispersed Nickel Catalyst

In this paper, Vulcan XC-72R was purchased from SCI Materials Hub. Vulcan XC 72R carbon is the most common catalyst support used in the anode and cathode electrodes of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC), Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC), Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFC), Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC), Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells (PAFC), and many more!

3. Adv. Mater. Partially Nitrided Ni Nanoclusters Achieve Energy-Efficient Electrocatalytic CO₂ Reduction to CO at Ultralow Overpotential

An AEM membrane (Sustainion X37-50 Grade RT, purchased from SCI Materials Hub) was activated in 1 M KOH for 24 h, washed with ultra-purity water prior to use.

4. Adv. Funct. Mater. Nanoconfined Molecular Catalysts in Integrated Gas Diffusion Electrodes for High-Current-Density CO₂ Electroreduction

In this paper (Supporting Information), an anion exchanged membrane (Fumasep FAB-PK-130 obtained from SCI Materials Hub (www.scimaterials.cn)) was used to separate the catholyte and anolyte chambers.

SCI Materials Hub: we also recommend our Fumasep FAB-PK-75 for the use in a flow cell.

5. Appl. Catal. B Efficient utilization of nickel single atoms for CO₂ electroreduction by constructing 3D interconnected nitrogen-doped carbon tube network

In this paper, the Nafion 117 membrane was obtained from SCI Materials Hub.

6. Vacuum Modulable Cu(0)/Cu(I)/Cu(II) sites of Cu/C catalysts derived from MOF for highly selective CO₂ electroreduction to hydrocarbons

In this paper, Proton exchange membrane (Nafion 117), Nafion D520, and Toray 060 carbon paper were purchased from SCI Materials Hub.

7. National Science Review Confinement of ionomer for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction via efficient mass transfer pathways

An anion exchange membrane (PiperION-A15-HCO3) was obtained from SCI Materials Hub.

8. Catalysis Communications Facilitating CO2 electroreduction to C2H4 through facile regulating {100} & {111} grain boundary of Cu2O

Carbon paper (TGPH060), membrane solution (Nafion D520), and ionic membrane (Nafion N117) were obtained from Wuhu Eryi Material Technology Co., Ltd (a company under SCI Materials Hub).

Batteries

1. J. Mater. Chem. A Blocking polysulfides with a Janus Fe3C/N-CNF@RGO electrode via physiochemical confinement and catalytic conversion for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries

Graphene oxide (GO) in this paper was obtained from SCI Materials Hub. The authors introduced a Janus Fe3C/N-CNF@RGO electrode consisting of 1D Fe3C decorated N-doped carbon nanofibers (Fe3C/N-CNFs) side and 2D reduced graphene oxide (RGO) side as the free-standing carrier of Li2S6 catholyte to improve the overall electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries.

2. Joule A high-voltage and stable zinc-air battery enabled by dual-hydrophobic-induced proton shuttle shielding

This paper used more than 10 kinds of materials from SCI Materials Hub and the authors gave detailed properity comparsion.

The commercial IEMs of Fumasep FAB-PK-130 and Nafion N117 were obtained from SCI Materials Hub.

Gas diffusion layers of GDL340 (CeTech) and SGL39BC (Sigracet) and Nafion dispersion (Nafion D520) were obtained from SCI Materials Hub.

Zn foil (100 mm thickness) and Zn powder were obtained from the SCI Materials Hub.

Commercial 20% Pt/C, 40% Pt/C and IrO2 catalysts were also obtained from SCI Materials Hub.

3. Journal of Energy Chemistry Vanadium oxide nanospheres encapsulated in N-doped carbon nanofibers with morphology and defect dual-engineering toward advanced aqueous zinc-ion batteries

In this paper, carbon cloth (W0S1011) was obtained from SCI Materials Hub. The flexible carbon cloth matrix guaranteed the stabilization of the electrode and improved the conductivity of the cathode.

4. Energy Storage Materials Defect-abundant commercializable 3D carbon papers for fabricating composite Li anode with high loading and long life

The 3D carbon paper (TGPH060 raw paper) were purchased from SCI Materials Hub.

5. Nanomaterials A Stable Rechargeable Aqueous Zn–Air Battery Enabled by Heterogeneous MoS2 Cathode Catalysts

Nafion D520 (5 wt%), and carbon paper (GDL340) were received from SCI-Materials-Hub.

6. SSRN An Axially Directed Cobalt-Phthalocyanine Covalent Organic Polymer as High-Efficient Bifunctional Catalyst for Zn-Air Battery

Carbon cloth (W0S1011) and other electrochemical consumables required for air cathode were provided by SCI Materials Hub.

Oxygen Reduction Reaction

1. J. Chem. Eng. Superior Efficiency Hydrogen Peroxide Production in Acidic Media through Epoxy Group Adjacent to Co-O/C Active Centers on Carbon Black

In this paper, Vulcan XC 72 carbon black, ion membrane (Nafion N115, 127 μL), Nafion solution (D520, 5 wt%), and carbon paper (AvCarb GDS 2230 and Spectracarb 2050A-1050) were purchased from SCI Materials Hub.

2. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science Gaining insight into the impact of electronic property and interface electrostatic field on ORR kinetics in alloy engineering via theoretical prognostication and experimental validation

The 20 wt% Pt3M (M = Cr, Co, Cu, Pd, Sn, and Ir) were purchased from SCI Materials Hub. This work places emphasis on the kinetics of the ORR concerning Pt3M (M = Cr, Co, Cu, Pd, Sn, and Ir) catalysts, and integrates theoretical prognostication and experimental validation to illuminate the fundamental principles of alloy engineering.

Water Electrolysis

1. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy Gold as an efficient hydrogen isotope separation catalyst in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis

The cathodic catalysts of Pt/C (20 wt%, 2–3 nm) and Au/C (20 wt%, 4–5 nm) were purchased from SCI Materials Hub.

2. Small Science Silver Compositing Boosts Water Electrolysis Activity and Durability of RuO2 in a Proton-Exchange-Membrane Water Electrolyzer

Two fiber felts (0.35 mm thickness, SCI Materials Hub) were used as the porous transport layers at both the cathode and the anode.

3. Advanced Functional Materials Hierarchical Crystalline/Amorphous Heterostructure MoNi/NiMoOx for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution with Industry-Level Activity and Stability

Anion-exchange membrane (FAA-3-PK-130) was obtained from SCI Materials Hub website.

Fuel Cells

1. Polymer Sub-two-micron ultrathin proton exchange membrane with reinforced mechanical strength

Gas diffusion electrode (60% Pt/C, Carbon paper) was purchased from SCI Materials Hub.

Characterization

1. Chemical Engineering Journal Electrochemical reconstitution of Prussian blue analogue for coupling furfural electro-oxidation with photo-assisted hydrogen evolution reaction

An Au nanoparticle film was deposited on the total reflecting plane of a single reflection ATR crystal (SCI Materials Hub, Wuhu, China) via sputter coater.