Conversion of CO2 to CO by Electrolysis of Molten Lithium Carbonate

The conversion of CO2 to CO by electrolysis of molten Li2CO3 was investigated. Using a cell comprising a Ti cathode, a graphite anode and a source of CO2 allows the continuous electrolysis of the melt at 900 degrees C with current densities at the electrodes higher than 100 mA/cm(2). The faradaic efficiency of the process is close to 100%, and the thermodynamic efficiency at 100 mA/cm(2) is >85%. The proposed method has several advantages: (i) No precious metal is required, (ii) no hazardous or toxic by-products are produced, and (iii) the method may operate continuously, producing pure CO rather than a mixture of CO and CO2. Therefore, the process described here has a potential application for converting electrical energy into fuel.