Jump to content

Electrolysis of Carbonic Acid


Mr Skeptic

Recommended Posts

First of all: I am not sure about this how it works in practice. What I wrote here might only work on paper (I just don't know)... I think you'll need a couple of fancy catalysts. If you just take some electrodes and stick those into water with CO2 dissolved in it, something will happen, but I doubt you'll reduce the CO2.

 

I think you should take CO2 as starting point, not the carbonic acid. CO2 and carbonic acid are in equilibrium anyway (CO2 + H2O <--> H2CO3)

 

I think this is a set of half reactions that can occur if you apply the right potential (?).

 

CO2 + 2e- + 2 H+ --> HCOOH (formic acid)

(google: formic acid CO2)

 

HCOOH + 2e- + 2 H+ --> H2C=O (Formaldehyde, note: toxic!)

(google: formic acid formaldehyde, and try to find the reverse reaction (not the oxidation)).

 

H2C=O + 2e- + 2 H+ --> CH4O (methanol, note: also toxic )

 

Searching Google, I found that finding the oxidation reactions is relatively simple. (Oxidizing is also energetically easier...). The reverse, so from CO2 to methanol, is more tricky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

it seems it is much easier to first split the water and then combine the hydrogen with CO2. a simple copper or zinc catalyst with the two gases will produce methanol. I don't know the precise details of the process but it will probably be heated. nobel prize winner George Olah wrote a book called Beyond gas and oil: the methanol economy where he mentions several specific processes for making methanol from hydrogen and CO2. it has been done industrially since 1920

 

there are even ways of capturing CO2 from the air so we can make fuel for cars and power plants with only water and air and power from windmills or the sun

Edited by Dan Frederiksen
typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.