Digital Twin of a Hierarchical CO2 Electrolyzer Gas Diffusion Electrode

Mclaughlin D, Bierling M, Mayerhöfer B, Schmid G, Thiele S (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Advanced Functional Materials Wiley-VCH Verlag

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202212462

Abstract

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 provides a pathway to a sustainable carbon cycle, allowing for the production of hydrocarbons critical for both chemical industry and mobility. Major engineering challenges need to be met in order to achieve efficient and large-scale CO2 electrolysis. One central challenge is to find the optimum structure for the gas diffusion electrode at the heart of the electrolyzer. An optimum structure will achieve higher conversion efficiencies, lifetime, and product selectivity at lower cost. Critical structural properties of the electrode span the scale from nanometers to millimeters. To rationalize the optimization process, it behooves us to obtain a fully resolved multi-scale model of the electrode. This digital twin, produced by bridging scale and employing multiple imaging methods, enables the digital study, simulation, and modification of the structure of the electrode. The model is used to simulate the transport processes vital to the functioning of the electrode thus further advancing the digital twin. Subsequently, it is explored how changes to the structure affect the predicted transport properties. The digital twin presented is only supposed to be the kernel and will be complemented by numerous future works.

Authors with CRIS profile

Markus Bierling Professur für Electrocatalytic Interface Engineering (HIERN) Britta Mayerhöfer Professur für Electrocatalytic Interface Engineering (HIERN) Simon Thiele Professur für Electrocatalytic Interface Engineering (HIERN)

Involved external institutions

Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE) Siemens AG, Energy Service Division / Energy Sector DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Mclaughlin, D., Bierling, M., Mayerhöfer, B., Schmid, G., & Thiele, S. (2022). Digital Twin of a Hierarchical CO2 Electrolyzer Gas Diffusion Electrode. Advanced Functional Materials. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202212462

MLA:

Mclaughlin, David, et al. "Digital Twin of a Hierarchical CO2 Electrolyzer Gas Diffusion Electrode." Advanced Functional Materials (2022).

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