The future of Electrochemical Conversion

As the field of water electrolysis advances, it is expected that the cost-efficiency of green hydrogen production will improve, making green hydrogen a more competitive and sustainable option. This session will focus on technical factors that will improve the feasibility of water electrolysis, including the optimization of electrolyzer designs, development of durable and cost-effective components such as membranes, electrodes, development of durable and earth-abundant HER and OER catalysts, and exploration of novel technologies.

The components of a CO₂ electrolyzer, such as catalysts, membranes and electrodes, are crucial for the performance of the electrolyzer. This session will be dedicated to improvements in the design, materials, and performance (stability, activity and selectivity) of the components for (bio-)electrochemical CO₂ conversion.

New and retrofitted chemical processes must consider the intermittency of green electricity and alternative carbon sources, such as circular, air or biomass-based CO₂. Green hydrogen can be combined with CO₂ or synthesis gas to produce chemicals and fuels. This requires entirely different materials, reactor scaling approaches and process control. This session includes novel process concepts and sorbent-catalyst combinations, modelling, optimisation, and experimental demonstration using breakthrough intensified and electrified reactor technologies.

This topic covers different aspects of the application of modelling and process system engineering to the design of emerging (bio-, CO₂, non-CO₂) electrochemical and integrated green H₂ - thermochemical processes (e.g. plant layout, heat integration) as well as experimental studies that cover further aspects than the electrochemical or thermochemical unit itself (e.g. electrolyte recirculation, recycle of streams).

This session covers approaches to electrochemical processes and alternative reactor designs, from the viewpoint of process dynamics, control and monitoring, up to plant operations and integration with the electricity grid and/or with existing/new chemical processes. For instance, techno-economic assessments combined with / and life cycle assessments, analysis of supply chains, are included in this session. Also, studies on technology-driven manufacturing, infrastructure and recycling are welcomed.

Achieving high selectivity in (bio-) CO₂ electrochemical conversions can be a complex and multifaceted challenge. It often involves a combination of material selection, catalyst development, reactor design, and careful control of operating conditions. In this session, we will address challenges in CO₂ electrolysis related to the larger scale, such as electrolyser design and operation, downstream separation, and heat management.

This session will address the state-of-the-art developments in electrochemical conversions other than CO₂ and water electrolysis. Topics of interest are reactions in the nitrogen cycle, such as electrochemical N₂ reduction or NO_x reduction to ammonia, the formation of C-N bond containing products by CO_x and NO_x co-reduction, production of higher value compounds and the development of anodic reactions that can serve as alternatives for the oxygen evolution reaction.