Liquid and gaseous fossil fuel feedstocks suffer both from the fact that they are depletable resources and present unstable price fluctuations associate with tight supply. One interesting solution to this problem is the substitution of carbon dioxide for traditional fossil fuel feeds in the production of bulk organic chemicals. A large and growing �stockpile� of CO2 guarantees excellent supply with little to no price fluctuation for this feedstock in the near to moderate term. Additionally, there is an excellent synergy with traditional organic feedstocks, since the combustion of fossil fuels produces CO2 allowing for a �closed loop� scheme for the recycling of fossil fuel resources and eliminating CO2, a major climate change gas from entrance into the atmosphere. While traditional fossil fuels represent reduced materials, carbon dioxide provides an oxidized carbon source. This has two major implications: first, highest energy conversion efficiencies will be obtained when the desired product is relatively oxidized, and second, the reduction of CO2 to partially oxidized products represents a thermodynamically uphill process. Given that the goal of utilizing a CO2 feedstock is to move away from fossil fuels, an alternate energy resource must be utilized to carry out the desired conversions. We present here an electrochemical approach to the conversion of CO2 to both C1 and multicarbon organics. Key to this process is the development of new electrocatalysts that reduce the traditional high reaction barriers for the processes of interest, along with the coupling of the desired electrochemical reactions with an alternate energy electricity resource. The production of formic acid from aqueous CO2, using photovoltaic generated electricity will be discussed as one example of the transformations of interest that can be carried out at scale. Formation of C2 to C4 products using an electrochemical approach will be considered as a second proof of concept. Manufacturing parameters and costs will be considered.

Carbon dioxide as an abundant feedstock replacement for fossil fuels

248th National Meeting (2014)

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