Tag: Innovation

Achievements and Challenges of MONOLITHOS in the ECO2Fuel Project

Post author By Think11
Post date 22/01/2024

Achievements and Challenges of MONOLITHOS in the ECO2Fuel Project

MONOLITHOS, a company actively engaged in the ambitious ECO2Fuel project, has marked significant milestones in the field of electrocatalyst development and environmental sustainability. This article highlights the key achievements and challenges faced by MONOLITHOS in this groundbreaking endeavor.

Achievements of MONOLITHOS in ECO2Fuel

1. Stable Scaling of NiFeOx Electrocatalyst: A notable accomplishment is the successful scaling up of the NiFeOx electrocatalyst process. This scaling has remarkably maintained the structure, composition, morphology and performance of the electrocatalyst, ensuring its effectiveness and reliability.

2. Development of Cu2O Electrocatalyst: The Cu2O electrocatalyst, developed under the ECO2Fuel project, has shown exceptional results. Its potential has been recognized with the decision to upscale its production, indicating its pivotal role in future applications.

3. Enhanced Anode Catalyst Activity: The company has fully achieved its milestone regarding the enhancement of anode catalyst activity. This improvement signifies a leap forward in the efficiency and effectiveness of the catalysts used.

4. Progress in Cathode Catalyst Activity: The cathodic catalyst milestone has been successfully achieved by MONOLITHOS, demonstrating significant advancements in enhanced cathode catalyst activity. This progress is a testament to the company’s commitment to continuous improvement in catalyst development.

5. High Leaching Efficiencies: In an environmental triumph, the company has achieved over 99% leaching efficiencies for Cu and Ni from End-of-Life Membrane Electrode Assemblies (EoL MEAs). This was accomplished using an environmentally friendly hydrometallurgical leaching process, marking a significant step in sustainable practices.

6. Innovation with PtPd/CeZrO4 Catalyst: The synthesis of a PtPd/CeZrO4 catalyst through a wet impregnation process represents another innovative stride. This catalyst is set to be tested under simulated conditions involving diesel, biodiesel, and alcohol blends.

Figure 1. XRD pattern of NiFe-based anode electrocatalyst.

Figure 2. Recycling of EoL MEAs following an environmentally friendly hydrometallurgical leaching process

Figure 3. Representative pictures of the preparation of a PtPd/CeZrO4 catalyst following patented PROMETHEUS protocol

Figure 4. Fabrication of a full-scale monolith using the slurry method to be tested under simulated diesel (diesel biodiesel/alcohol) blends conditions

Challenges Faced by MONOLITHOS

Despite these achievements, MONOLITHOS faces certain challenges in the ECO2Fuel project:

1. Cathodic Performance Targets: One of the main challenges is achieving the high-performance targets set for the cathodic aspect of the project. Meeting these targets is crucial for the overall success and efficiency of the project.

2. Supply Chain Delays: There is a potential risk of delays in acquiring necessary materials, such as electrocatalyst precursors, equipment, and other essential components. These delays could impact the project timeline and its milestones.

Conclusion

MONOLITHOS’s involvement in the ECO2Fuel project has been marked by significant achievements, particularly in the development and scaling of innovative electrocatalysts and in advancing environmentally friendly processes. However, challenges such as meeting high-performance targets and potential supply chain delays pose hurdles that need to be navigated. The company’s continued dedication and innovative approach will be key in overcoming these challenges and achieving further success in sustainable energy solutions.

Source: MONOLITHOS

Tags eco2fuel, Electrocatalysts, EnergyTech, EnvironmentalSustainability, Innovation, MONOLITHOS, SustainableEnergy

Project News

Achieving Milestones in CO2 Electrolysis: MS9 and MS10

Post author By Think11
Post date 04/12/2023

Achieving Milestones in CO2 Electrolysis: MS9 and MS10

In the progressive world of CO2 Electrolysis, milestones MS9 and MS10 mark significant advancements, albeit with unique challenges. The recent achievement in MS9 was notable, as the cell potential reached an impressive 300mA/cm2 at 2V per cell. This indicates a substantial improvement in efficiency and performance, albeit not fully meeting the set milestone.

Turning to MS10, significant strides were made in material selection. The milestone involved the critical selection and freezing of Gas Diffusion Layers (GDLs) and catalysts for both anode and cathode sides. This decision is crucial as it lays the foundation for the future efficiency and reliability of the fuel cells.

However, these advancements didn’t come without their challenges. One of the primary issues encountered was the stability of the test in terms of operational hours. This was primarily due to the clogging of the flow field, a result of salt precipitation. This phenomenon poses a significant threat to the consistent operation and longevity of the fuel cells.

In response to these challenges, researchers and engineers are diligently studying new procedures to mitigate these issues. Developing strategies to avoid clogging and ensure uninterrupted operation is a top priority. Another obstacle that surfaced was related to the scaling up of the substrate and the supplying materials. This highlights the complexities involved in transitioning from laboratory-scale successes to large-scale, commercially viable solutions.

Despite these challenges, the progress made in milestones MS9 and MS10 is a testament to the ongoing innovation in CO2 Electrolysis. As solutions to these challenges are developed, we can expect further advancements in this promising field, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient energy solutions.

Source: CNR & DeNora

Tags CO2Electrolysis, denora, EngineeringExcellence, FutureOfEnergy, Innovation, sustainability

Project News

Progress on the anion exchange membrane

Post author By Think11
Post date 07/11/2023

Hydrolite has continuously improved its anion exchange membrane, reaching several important milestones. Ethanol crossover has been reduced by an order of magnitude, from 12 mA/cm2 to 0.3 mA/cm2 (70 °C, 0.5 M in 1 M OH) as shown in Figure 1.

As ethanol is one of the desired products from the CO2 electrolysis, it is crucial to prevent from crossing over the membrane.

Figure 1: Ethanol crossover versus temperature for older generation (left) and newer generation (right) membranes produced at Hydrolite.

Using a setup specially developed at DTU, CO2 crossover could be measured for various membranes. It is now understood that CO2 crossover increases significantly with increasing current, meaning the CO2 is mainly driven by ionic current crossing the membrane from the cathode to the anode. It was shown the Hydrolite membrane displays lower crossover of CO2 than a commercially available membrane as showed in Figure 2.

It is important to mention that those improvements were achieved without compromising the hydroxide conductivity of the membrane (> 150 mS/cm at 60 C, in-plane, 100 %RH). One remaining challenge is reaching the mechanical tensile strength target of 20 MPa at 60 °C. Recent developments have shown an improvement of the tensile strength of Hydrolite membranes from 4 to 17 MPa, hence approaching the target. We are confident that this milestone will be reached soon.

On the fabrication side, Hydrolite delivered to its partners about 10 m2 of large size membrane for the CO2 electrolyser prototype. Significant efforts are being invested to further scale up the membrane fabrication for the supply of 100 m2 of high quality membranes for the demonstrator stack in early 2025.

Figure 2: Hydrolite membrane (bottom) showing improved CO2 barrier as compared to commercial membrane (top)

Tags AnionExchange, CleanTech, CO2Electrolysis, EthanolCrossover, FutureOfElectrolysis, hydrolite, HydroxideConductivity, Innovation, MembraneTechnology, ScalingUp

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