CO Gas Production by Molten Salt Electrolysis from CO2 Gas

CO2 gas is decomposed to CO and C by the molten salt electrolysis using CaCl2–CaO and solid state electrolyte, zirconia, as the anode. Partially CO2 gas dissolves to form CO32– and it is electrochemically decomposed to carbon. The other portion of CO2 gas bubbles reacts with metallic Ca electrochemically deposited near the cathode, and forms C or CO gas. By increasing the flow rate of CO2 gas to the reactor, a high concentration of CO gas is generated. By increasing the concentration of CO2 gas in the initial gas, a large amount of CO gas was produced in the exhaust gas, and its rate approached to 3.32×10–8 m3/s in our experimental setup. These experimental evidences reflect the electrochemical decomposition of CO32– in the molten salt