Novel Electrochemical Cell Designs for Simultaneous Production of Methane and Oxygen via the Electrolysis of Carbon Dioxide and Water

NASA has investigated and demonstrated the simultaneous production of methane (CH4) and oxygen (O2) via the electrolysis of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) in one or more ionic liquids (ILs). In order to improve the likelihood of methane and oxygen production, and to reduce the likelihood of unwanted side-product formation, several innovative approaches were investigated. Research has shown thousands of options for ionic liquids that can be used in the electrochemical process; however, care must be taken to choose an ionic liquid that has high carbon dioxide solubility, limited change in viscosity due to carbon dioxide absorption, and chemical stability during the electrochemical process.