High-Concentration Alcohol Generation in Bipolar Membrane CO Electrolyzer

Wenjin Zhu; Qiu Cheng Chen; Yiqing Chen; Jianan Erick Huang; Guangcan Su; Hengzhou Liu; Weiyan Ni; Yuanjun Chen; Jiaqi Yu; Bosi Peng; Jiantao Li; Sungsik Lee; Shaoyun Hao; Yuxia Shen; Huajie Ze; Bei Zhou; Xiao Yan Li; Yali Ji; Shuang Yang; Cong Tian; Yongxiang Liang; Ke Xie; Edward H. Sargent

doi:10.1002/anie.202517470

High-Concentration Alcohol Generation in Bipolar Membrane CO Electrolyzer

Wenjin Zhu
, Qiu Cheng Chen
, Yiqing Chen
, Jianan Erick Huang
, Guangcan Su
, Hengzhou Liu
, Weiyan Ni
, Yuanjun Chen
, Jiaqi Yu
, Bosi Peng
, Jiantao Li
, Sungsik Lee
, Shaoyun Hao
, Yuxia Shen
, Huajie Ze
, Bei Zhou
, Xiao Yan Li
, Yali Ji
, Shuang Yang
, Cong Tian

Yongxiang Liang, Ke Xie^*, Edward H. Sargent^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide offers an electricity-powered route to make multicarbon liquid products. However, in conventional systems employing anion exchange membranes (AEMs), significant liquid product crossover leads to dilute product streams, increasing separation costs; and also produces unwanted anodic oxidation, further decreasing overall efficiency. Here, we report a forward-biased bipolar membrane (FB-BPM) system that achieves <10% liquid product crossover while sustaining a highly alkaline environment near the cathode, suppressing ethylene and hydrogen and favoring liquid products. By tuning catalyst composition to modulate the adsorption of *H and *OH, we steer selectivity toward acetate and alcohols. Using the FB-BPM system, we achieve >25 wt% acetate on CuZn and >15 wt% alcohols on CuSn directly from the cathode outlet stream.

Original language	English
Journal	Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202517470
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

CO electroreduction
Forward-biased bipolar membrane
Highly concentrated alcohols production

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10.1002/anie.202517470

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Zhu, W., Chen, Q. C., Chen, Y., Huang, J. E., Su, G., Liu, H., Ni, W., Chen, Y., Yu, J., Peng, B., Li, J., Lee, S., Hao, S., Shen, Y., Ze, H., Zhou, B., Li, X. Y., Ji, Y., Yang, S., ... Sargent, E. H. (Accepted/In press). High-Concentration Alcohol Generation in Bipolar Membrane CO Electrolyzer. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202517470

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title = "High-Concentration Alcohol Generation in Bipolar Membrane CO Electrolyzer",

abstract = "Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide offers an electricity-powered route to make multicarbon liquid products. However, in conventional systems employing anion exchange membranes (AEMs), significant liquid product crossover leads to dilute product streams, increasing separation costs; and also produces unwanted anodic oxidation, further decreasing overall efficiency. Here, we report a forward-biased bipolar membrane (FB-BPM) system that achieves <10\% liquid product crossover while sustaining a highly alkaline environment near the cathode, suppressing ethylene and hydrogen and favoring liquid products. By tuning catalyst composition to modulate the adsorption of *H and *OH, we steer selectivity toward acetate and alcohols. Using the FB-BPM system, we achieve >25 wt\% acetate on CuZn and >15 wt\% alcohols on CuSn directly from the cathode outlet stream.",

keywords = "CO electroreduction, Forward-biased bipolar membrane, Highly concentrated alcohols production",

author = "Wenjin Zhu and Chen, \{Qiu Cheng\} and Yiqing Chen and Huang, \{Jianan Erick\} and Guangcan Su and Hengzhou Liu and Weiyan Ni and Yuanjun Chen and Jiaqi Yu and Bosi Peng and Jiantao Li and Sungsik Lee and Shaoyun Hao and Yuxia Shen and Huajie Ze and Bei Zhou and Li, \{Xiao Yan\} and Yali Ji and Shuang Yang and Cong Tian and Yongxiang Liang and Ke Xie and Sargent, \{Edward H.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1002/anie.202517470",

language = "English",

journal = "Angewandte Chemie - International Edition",

issn = "1433-7851",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - High-Concentration Alcohol Generation in Bipolar Membrane CO Electrolyzer

AU - Zhu, Wenjin

AU - Chen, Qiu Cheng

AU - Chen, Yiqing

AU - Huang, Jianan Erick

AU - Su, Guangcan

AU - Liu, Hengzhou

AU - Ni, Weiyan

AU - Chen, Yuanjun

AU - Yu, Jiaqi

AU - Peng, Bosi

AU - Li, Jiantao

AU - Lee, Sungsik

AU - Hao, Shaoyun

AU - Shen, Yuxia

AU - Ze, Huajie

AU - Zhou, Bei

AU - Li, Xiao Yan

AU - Ji, Yali

AU - Yang, Shuang

AU - Tian, Cong

AU - Liang, Yongxiang

AU - Xie, Ke

AU - Sargent, Edward H.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide offers an electricity-powered route to make multicarbon liquid products. However, in conventional systems employing anion exchange membranes (AEMs), significant liquid product crossover leads to dilute product streams, increasing separation costs; and also produces unwanted anodic oxidation, further decreasing overall efficiency. Here, we report a forward-biased bipolar membrane (FB-BPM) system that achieves <10% liquid product crossover while sustaining a highly alkaline environment near the cathode, suppressing ethylene and hydrogen and favoring liquid products. By tuning catalyst composition to modulate the adsorption of *H and *OH, we steer selectivity toward acetate and alcohols. Using the FB-BPM system, we achieve >25 wt% acetate on CuZn and >15 wt% alcohols on CuSn directly from the cathode outlet stream.

AB - Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide offers an electricity-powered route to make multicarbon liquid products. However, in conventional systems employing anion exchange membranes (AEMs), significant liquid product crossover leads to dilute product streams, increasing separation costs; and also produces unwanted anodic oxidation, further decreasing overall efficiency. Here, we report a forward-biased bipolar membrane (FB-BPM) system that achieves <10% liquid product crossover while sustaining a highly alkaline environment near the cathode, suppressing ethylene and hydrogen and favoring liquid products. By tuning catalyst composition to modulate the adsorption of *H and *OH, we steer selectivity toward acetate and alcohols. Using the FB-BPM system, we achieve >25 wt% acetate on CuZn and >15 wt% alcohols on CuSn directly from the cathode outlet stream.

KW - CO electroreduction

KW - Forward-biased bipolar membrane

KW - Highly concentrated alcohols production

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022215158

U2 - 10.1002/anie.202517470

DO - 10.1002/anie.202517470

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105022215158

SN - 1433-7851

JO - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition

JF - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition

ER -

High-Concentration Alcohol Generation in Bipolar Membrane CO Electrolyzer

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Keywords

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