CO/CO2-assisted Electrochemical Denitrification for Urea Synthesis by Using Industrial Wastewater

• Applicant: Xingli Wang, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 542167515

The aim of this project is to achieve a scalable and selective electrochemical synthesis of urea (NH2CONH2) by combining conventional carbon dioxide/carbon monoxide reduction and denitrification process. We propose a novel heteroatom (C-N) coupling pathway in the co-electrolysis reactions with energetically favorable environment. In the first step, shape-selective copper-based (hybrid) catalyst will be synthesized and well characterized. Electrochemical tests with various conditions will be used to enable chemical manufacturing with increased product selectivity and stability during co-electrosynthesis. A combination of in situ liquid electrochemical transmission electron microscopy and in situ wide angle X-ray scattering measurements are employed to reveal the changes in structures that the catalyst undergoes at different reaction stages. Moreover, the onset potentials, real-time product formation, and the origin of the main product will be determined by operando Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry (DEMS). Overall, this proposal contains several research objectives starting from the selection of suitable electrocatalysts for urea synthesis, to uncovering the structure-reactivity-selectivity by using in situ probes, and finally optimizing experimental conditions for the gas diffusion electrodes in flow cell electrolyzer for technologically relevant current densities.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants