The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 25, 1990
Filed:
Oct. 14, 1988
Ronald L Cook, Aurora, IL (US);
Anthony F Sammells, Naperville, IL (US);
Gas Research Institute, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A process and apparatus for gas phase electrochemical reduction of CO.sub.2 and/or CO to hydrocarbons at ambient temperatures. The process is carried out by passing an electrical current between a cathode in contact with one side of a hydrogen ion conducting solid polymer electrolyte and an anode in ionic communication with the opposite side of the solid polymer electrolyte. In one embodiment, the anode material may be in contact with the opposite side of the hydrogen ion conducting solid polymer electrolyte, and in another embodiment, an anode may be separated from the opposite side of the solid polymer electrolyte by an aqueous inorganic salt solution. At least one of CO.sub.2 and CO are passed in contact with the cathode and hydrogen ions passing through the solid polymer electrolyte reduce at least a portion of the CO.sub.2 and CO to gaseous hydrocarbon products such as CH.sub.4 and C.sub.2 H.sub.4 at the solid polymer electrolyte/cathode interface.