United States Patent Application: 0120292199
As we've previously commented and noted, the pace of development of Carbon Dioxide utilization and chemical recycling technologies is increasing to the point where we, especially with our sadly limited capacities, cannot keep you adequately apprised of them all.
That, especially since there are evolving technical nuances that improve CO2 recycling and conversion efficiencies and reduce costs that are simply beyond our technical grasp.
But, we will keep plugging away at it, in the hopes that someone truly competent will at last take an interest and step in to help out a little bit, at least before things like Cap and Trade tax extortions set in, or before we dig ourselves into so deep a financial hole importing Oil from OPEC that we'll never be able to dig ourselves out and get ourselves free.
In any case, as we previously reported, in:
West Virginia Coal Association | Japan Solar Energy Converts More CO2 into Methane | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent Application 20120234691 - Method for Reducing Carbon Dioxide; September 20, 2012; Inventor: Masahiro Deguchi, et. al., Japan; Assignee: Panasonic Corporation, Osaka; Abstract: The method for reducing carbon dioxide of the present disclosure includes a step (a) and a step (b) as follows. A step (a) of preparing an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell comprises a working electrode, a counter electrode and a vessel. The vessel stores an electrolytic solution. The working electrode contains at least one nitride selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, tantalum nitride, molybdenum nitride and iron nitride. The electrolytic solution contains carbon dioxide. The working electrode and the counter electrode are in contact with the electrolytic solution. A step (b) of applying a negative voltage and a positive voltage to the working electrode and the counter electrode, respectively, to reduce the carbon dioxide. The method ... wherein in the step (b), at least one compound selected from the group consisting of methane, ethylene, ethane and formic acid is produced";
Japan's, once well-known in the US, Panasonic Corporation has developed a low-energy demand electrolytic process for the chemical recycling of Carbon Dioxide that is similar in some respects to related technology which, as seen in:
West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE 1976 Atmospheric CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 3,959,094 - Electrolytic Synthesis of Methanol from CO2; 1976; Assignee: The USA as represented by the USDOE; Abstract: A method and system for synthesizing methanol from the CO2 in air using electric power";
was first developed by our own United States government well more than three decades ago, and, which development, as seen in:
West Virginia Coal Association | California March 2012 Efficient CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 8,138,380 - Electrolysis of Carbon Dioxide ... for Production of Methanol; Date: March 20, 2012; Inventors: George Olah and G.K. Surya Prakash, CA; Assignee: University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Abstract: An environmentally beneficial method of producing methanol from varied sources of carbon dioxide including flue gases of fossil fuel burning power plants, industrial exhaust gases or the atmosphere itself";
continues - - unbeknownst to us under-informed, unworthy Coal Country troglodytes being threatened with nonsense like the mandated geologic sequestration of Carbon Dioxide, paid for through our higher electric bills - - to be developed in certain places in the United States of America.
But, returning to Japan, and especially Japan's Panasonic Corporation, we see herein that they are continuing to improve and refine the CO2-recycling technical concepts embodied in their above-cited "United States Patent Application 20120234691 - Method for Reducing Carbon Dioxide", and doing so in very subtle ways that won't be obvious to the casual reader.
We'll summarize and explain some of that, following excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent Application 20120292199 - Method for Reducing Carbon Dioxide
METHOD FOR REDUCING CARBON DIOXIDE - Panasonic Corporation
Date: November 22, 2012
Inventors: Masahiro Deguchi, et. al., Japan
Assignee: Panasonic Corporation, Osaka
(Panasonic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; "Panasonic Corporation, formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., is a Japanese multinational electronics corporation headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan. Panasonic was founded in 1918 ... as a vendor of duplex lamp sockets. It has grown to become one of the largest Japanese electronics producers, alongside Sony, Toshiba and Canon. In addition to electronics, it offers non-electronic products and services such as home renovation services. Panasonic is the world's fifth-largest television manufacturer and is among the world's 20 largest semiconductor vendors.")
Abstract: The method for reducing carbon dioxide of the present disclosure includes a step (a) and a step (b) as follows. A step (a) of preparing an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell comprises a working electrode, a counter electrode and a vessel. The vessel stores an electrolytic solution. The working electrode contains at least one carbide selected from the group consisting of zirconium carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, chromium carbide and tungsten carbide. The electrolytic solution contains carbon dioxide. The working electrode and the counter electrode are in contact with the electrolytic solution. A step (b) of applying a negative voltage and a positive voltage to the working electrode and the counter electrode, respectively, to reduce the carbon dioxide.
Claims: A method for reducing carbon dioxide, the method comprising: a step (a) of preparing an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a working electrode, a counter electrode and a vessel, the vessel stores an electrolytic solution, the working electrode contains, as a catalyst, only at least one carbide, as a catalyst, selected from the group consisting of zirconium carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, chromium carbide and tungsten carbide, the electrolytic solution contains carbon dioxide, the working electrode is in contact with the electrolytic solution, and the counter electrode is in contact with the electrolytic solution; and a step (b) of applying a negative voltage and a positive voltage to the working electrode and the counter electrode, respectively, to reduce the carbon dioxide.
(We highlighted the above iteration of acceptable "carbide" catalysts, since that specification, actually, seems to be the primary difference between our subject herein, "United States Patent Application 20120292199 - Method for Reducing Carbon Dioxide", and that of our prior report concerning "United States Patent Application 20120234691 - Method for Reducing Carbon Dioxide". It is a subtle difference, and there is little else to distinguish between the two CO2 utilization processes, excepting for what seem to be some slight variances in the resulting mix of products.)
The method ... wherein ... at least one compound selected from the group consisting of methane, ethylene, ethane and formic acid is produced.
The method ... wherein the vessel comprises a solid electrolyte membrane, and the solid electrolyte membrane is interposed between the working electrode and the counter electrode.
The method ... wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a tube, one end of the tube is disposed in the electrolytic solution, and in the step (b), the carbon dioxide is supplied to the electrolytic solution through the tube.
Background and Field: The present disclosure relates to a method for reducing carbon dioxide.
A carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction technique using a catalyst is expected as a technique for fixing CO2 and producing useful substances.
In the electrolytic reduction method, the reducing reaction proceeds even at an ordinary temperature and ordinary pressure. The electrolytic reduction method requires no large-scale equipment. Thus, the electrolytic reduction method is simpler than the catalytic hydrogenation method. Accordingly, the electrolytic reduction method is considered as an effective CO2 reduction method. As catalysts capable of reducing CO2 by the electrolytic reduction method, metals such as copper (Cu) and silver (Ag), alloy materials of these, and complex materials (molecular catalysts) such as a cobalt (Co) complex, a nickel (Ni) complex and an iron (Fe) complex have been developed so far ... .
(The full Disclosure goes into some length differentiating between Carbon Dioxide chemical reduction techniques, as herein, and Carbon Dioxide hydrogenation techniques, which result in products like Methanol, and which would be represented by processes such as those seen in our reports of:
West Virginia Coal Association | Sweden Converts More CO2 into Methanol | Research & Development; concerning: "Publication No.: WO/2007/145586; International Application No.: PCT/SE2007/0504; A Method and A Reactor for Making Methanol; 2007; Abstract: In a reactor of fuel cell type, methanol is produced from carbon dioxide and water"; and:
West Virginia Coal Association | The University of Oxford Converts CO2 into Methanol | Research & Development; concerning: "Process For Producing Methanol; Publication No: WO/2011/045605; International Application No: PCT/GB2010/051733; 2010; Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for the production of methanol. The process comprises the heterolytic cleavage of hydrogen by a frustrated Lewis pair comprising a Lewis acid and a Lewis base; and the hydrogenation of CO2 with the heterolytically cleaved hydrogen to form methanol”.)
Summary: One non-limiting and exemplary embodiment provides a method for reducing carbon dioxide using a highly-durable catalyst that is capable of reducing CO2 at an overvoltage equal to or lower than over-voltages for conventional catalysts to produce highly useful substances (such as formic acid (HCOOH), methane (CH4), ethylene (C2H4) and ethane (C2H6)).
In one general aspect, the techniques disclosed here feature a method for reducing carbon dioxide, the method including: a step (a) of preparing an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a working electrode, a counter electrode and a vessel, the vessel stores an electrolytic solution, the working electrode contains at least one carbide selected from the group consisting of zirconium carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, chromium carbide and tungsten carbide, the electrolytic solution contains carbon dioxide, the working electrode is in contact with the electrolytic solution, and the counter electrode is in contact with the electrolytic solution; and a step of applying a negative voltage and a positive voltage to the working electrode and the counter electrode, respectively, to reduce the carbon dioxide.
The electrochemical cell is used in the method for reducing carbon dioxide of the present disclosure. The electrochemical cell comprises the working electrode for reducing carbon dioxide. The working electrode contains at least one carbide selected from the group consisting of zirconium carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, chromium carbide and tungsten carbide. These carbides are capable of reducing carbon dioxide at an overvoltage equal to or lower than overvoltages for conventional catalysts for reducing carbon dioxide. Therefore, the method of the present disclosure makes it possible to produce highly useful substances, such as HCOOH, CH4, C2H4 and C2H6, at an overvoltage equal to or lower than overvoltages in conventional methods. Furthermore, the high durability of the carbides allows the working electrode to achieve high durability.
Industrial Applicability: The present disclosure demonstrates that carbides of elements selected from Zirconium, Hafnium, Niobium, Chromium and Tungsten, which are highly durable compounds, are capable of reducing CO2 electrolytically at an overvoltage lower than overvoltages for conventional catalysts for reducing CO2. These carbides make it possible to produce CH4, C2H4, C2H6, HCOOH, etc. from CO2 with less energy.
That is, the method for reducing CO2 of the present disclosure can provide these useful substances from CO2 at lower cost.
Moreover, the CO2 reduction treatment technique (the method for reducing CO2 and the electrochemical cell used in the method) using these carbides is also effective as a technique for reducing the amount of CO2 against global warming. The CO2 reduction treatment technique is expected to be useful as a more environmentally-friendly resource recycling method for the future if they are combined with photocatalytic technology and solar power generation technology. "
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The implications of the above statements of "Industrial Applicability" should, we would think, be obvious.
Further, the whole focus of the development, even as we will see in additional reports concerning Panasonic to follow, is to reduce the energy required for the chemical reduction of Carbon Dioxide, and, thus, to produce stuff like Methane, "CH4", and Ethane, "C2H6", etc., from Carbon Dioxide "at lower cost".
We here, don't know just how much "lower" that "cost" would have to be, to make this process more attractive than Cap and Trade taxes, and a lot more attractive than the continued loss of foreign exchange, and US jobs, engendered through the importation of hydrocarbons we could be synthesizing from CO2 in an "electrolytic solution" of water and some relatively inexpensive metal catalysts, especially if the whole apparatus is powered by "solar power generation technology".
But, as we will see in a few reports to follow, Panasonic has kept at it; and, seems to be reducing that cost, of reducing Carbon Dioxide, even further, and, consequently, increasing the options we have to avoid both those counter-productive Cap and Trade taxes and our further impoverishment through continued importation of certain hydrocarbons.