An integrated device to convert carbon dioxide to energy

A device was constructed that converts dissolved carbon dioxide to power. In a central reservoir this device wholly contains the electrochemical conversion cycle of carbonate to formate and formate to carbonate. At one end of the reservoir is a cation exchange membrane containing Sn and Pt catalysts to reduce carbonate and oxidize water, respectively. At the other end is an anion exchange membrane containing Pd and Pt catalysts to oxidize formate and reduce oxygen, respectively (the direct formate fuel cell). The electrochemical reduction of carbonate produced 54 mM formate after 15 min. The formate produced within this device produced a power density of 2 mW cm(-2). The overall efficiency of a 15 min run of this device was 40%. This device represents a two order of magnitude increase in the time efficiency with which carbonate is reduced to formate compared with the first reported device that converts carbon dioxide to power. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.