US 12,116,683 B2
System and method for methane production
Sara Hunegnaw, Berkeley, CA (US); Ajay R. Kashi, Berkeley, CA (US); Kendra P. Kuhl, Berkeley, CA (US); Morgan George, Berkeley, CA (US); Sichao Ma, Berkeley, CA (US); Ziyang Huo, Berkeley, CA (US); Etosha R. Cave, Berkeley, CA (US); and Kenneth X. Hua, Berkeley, CA (US)
Assigned to Twelve Benefit Corporation, Berkeley, CA (US)
Filed by Twelve Benefit Corporation, Berkeley, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 7, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/736,615.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/864,122, filed on Jun. 20, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/789,371, filed on Jan. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0216968 A1, Jul. 9, 2020
Int. Cl. C25B 9/23 (2021.01); C25B 3/25 (2021.01); C25B 11/075 (2021.01); C25B 11/091 (2021.01); C25B 13/08 (2006.01)
CPC C25B 9/23 (2021.01) [C25B 3/25 (2021.01); C25B 11/075 (2021.01); C25B 11/091 (2021.01); C25B 13/08 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) comprising:
a cathode catalyst layer comprising a carbon oxide reduction catalyst that selectively promotes production of a product selected from a hydrocarbon, a carboxylic acid, or an alcohol, wherein the carbon oxide reduction catalyst comprises copper,
wherein the roughness factor of the cathode catalyst layer is below 0.25;
an anode catalyst layer comprising a catalyst that promotes oxidation of water; and
a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) layer disposed between, and in contact with, the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer, wherein the cathode catalyst layer is characterized by a catalyst loading of less than 1 mg/cm2 and wherein the PEM layer comprises an anion conducting polymer layer in contact with the cathode catalyst layer.