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Triple-Phase Boundaries Enable Selective Urea Production From Simulated Flue Gas in a Zero-Gap Electrolyzer
Meng Wang1,2, Chenxi Luo1, Ziyu Mi3
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117585, Republic of Singapore.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|April 30, 2025
Summary
Generating CO2 bubbles on catalysts boosts selective urea production from renewable energy and nitrate. This method efficiently converts simulated flue gas into urea, comparable to pure CO2 systems.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Renewable energy co-electrolysis of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrate (NO3-) is a sustainable route for urea production.
- Achieving high urea selectivity is difficult due to competing reactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance CO2 availability at the catalyst surface for selective urea synthesis.
- To develop an efficient electrolyzer system for urea production using simulated flue gas.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a bipolar membrane in a zero-gap electrolyzer to generate CO2 bubbles in situ.
- Employed a Cu95Ru5 catalyst for the co-electrolysis of CO2 and NO3-.
- Tested the system with simulated flue gas (20% CO2, 5% O2).
Main Results:
- Achieved a urea Faradaic efficiency of 58% at 2 V over 30 hours.
- Reached a peak urea production rate of 35.46 mmol h-1 gcat-1.
- Demonstrated comparable performance using simulated flue gas to systems with pure CO2.
Conclusions:
- High density of CO2 bubbles at triple-phase boundaries enhances selective urea production.
- The developed electrolyzer system efficiently converts simulated flue gas into urea.
- This approach offers a promising strategy for efficient urea synthesis via renewable energy-powered electrochemistry.
