US 12,286,714 B2
Nickel phosphide catalysts for direct electrochemical CO2 reduction to hydrocarbons
G. Charles Dismukes, Princeton, NJ (US); Anders Bo Laursen, Cranford, NJ (US); and Karin Ute Doehl Calvinho, Naperville, IL (US)
Assigned to RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY, New Brunswick, NJ (US)
Filed by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ (US)
Filed on May 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/878,165.
Application 16/878,165 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/765,896, granted, now 10,676,833, previously published as PCT/US2016/056026, filed on Oct. 7, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/239,389, filed on Oct. 9, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0347502 A1, Nov. 5, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C25B 11/091 (2021.01); B01J 23/72 (2006.01); B01J 27/185 (2006.01); B01J 35/33 (2024.01); B01J 35/40 (2024.01); C25B 3/25 (2021.01); C25B 9/65 (2021.01); C25B 11/02 (2021.01)
CPC C25B 11/091 (2021.01) [B01J 23/72 (2013.01); B01J 27/1853 (2013.01); B01J 35/33 (2024.01); B01J 35/40 (2024.01); C25B 3/25 (2021.01); C25B 9/65 (2021.01); C25B 11/02 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
 
1. In combination:
a cathode for direct electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to oxygenated hydrocarbon products, the cathode comprising a conductive support substrate and an electrocatalyst coating, the electrocatalyst coating comprising nanoparticles of NixPy, wherein x and y represent integers such that the compounds are selected from the group consisting of Ni3P, Ni5P2, Ni12P5, Ni2P, Ni5P4, NiP2, and NiP3; or the electrocatalyst coating comprising nano-particles of NixPy is selected from the group consisting of Ni3P, Ni5P2, Ni12P5, Ni2P, Ni5P4, NiP2, and NiP3, further alloyed with Fe2P, wherein the alloy has a Ni—P:Fe2P ratio between about 99:1 and 1:99 wt %;
wherein the conductive support substrate comprises hydrophobic regions and hydrophilic regions to aid in adsorption of carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide from gas or aqueous phase to achieve separation from water molecules, wherein at least some of the electrocatalyst nanoparticles are in the hydrophobic regions of the conductive support substrate and catalytically interact with the carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide by electrical reduction to produce oxygenated hydrocarbon products; and
a co-catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide, other than a nickel phosphide, positioned to act together with the electrocatalyst.