Authors:

Charity E Smith

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About Paper:

Ethylene, produced through the dehydrogenation of ethane, is mainly used for the production of plastics and a variety of other chemicals. However, the production process for ethylene requires high-temperature heat and contributes to over 260 million tons of CO2 emissions per year. To alleviate this issue, this research focuses on utilizing renewable electricity for ethane dehydrogenation with solid oxide electrochemical reactors to decrease carbon dioxide output. Specifically, it focuses on improving the surface area of electrodes using a template-assisted ceramic synthesis approach. A glycine nitrate process was performed to synthesize electrode materials, and solid-state reactions were conducted to produce a proton-conducting ceramic electrolyte. The electrode was then fabricated with uniaxial pressing, followed by spin coating and brush painting with slurry and ink to deposit material onto the electrode. Fabric gauze was utilized to form a 3D porous structure using synthesized materials to increase surface area. Finally, the 3D cathode was integrated with the electrode and anode to complete the full PCEC cell. X-ray diffraction testing will characterize synthesized materials, testing for phase purity and crystal structure. In addition, electron microscopy will examine catalyst dispersion and the morphology of those materials. Utilizing EIS, I-V, and chronoamperometry measurements, the electrocatalytic performance, conversion rates, stability, and ethylene selectivity of electrodes can be measured. Finally, using gas chromatography, the composition of gases can be analyzed. This research attempts to tackle the issue of CO2 output in ethylene production by utilizing solid oxide electrochemical reactors. Further improvements include increasing surface area for higher infiltration. Keywords: [no keywords provided]

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

Topics:

No topics listed

Co-authors:

Charity E Smith