Non-Faradaic Electrochemical Modification of Catalytic Activity: LSCF As Electrocatalyst for Nitrous Oxide Electrochemical Reduction
Authors: Holz Laura Isabel Vilas , Loureiro Francisco José Almeida , Araujo Allan Jedson Menezes , Mikhalev Sergey Mikhaylovich , Mendes Diogo , Mendes Adelio , Fagg Duncan Paul 
Published: July 2021

Nitrous oxide (N2O) mitigation is of high importance as this gas is responsible for several environmental problems, such as photochemical smog, acid rain, ozone layer depletion and global warming. While N2O is not the principal contributor to global warming (~ 6 %), it has 310 and 21 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the most common anthropogenic greenhouse gases, CO2 and CH4, respectively [1]. European Union directives currently aim at a reduction in the emissions of these gases by 42 % from their 2013 levels by 2030 [2].The current work aims to bridge solid-state chemistry and heterogenous catalysis, by studying the electrochemical promotion of catalysis (EPOC), also known as non-Faradaic electrochemical modification of catalytic activity (NEMCA), of the N2O reduction reaction. Here, the catalytic activity of an electrode surface is radically changed upon polarization, typically applying large electrical potentials (> 2 V) that lead to considerable changes in the conversion and the selectivity of the products [3].

For this work, the well-known mixed electronic and ionic conductor La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ LSCF) was utilised as the electrocatalyst, due to its high availability and excellent performance as a cathode in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). This composition exhibits a very high oxygen surface exchange coefficient (K* = 1.1 x 10-3cm s-1 at 800 °C) as well as high electronic (230 S cm-1 at 900 °C) and ionic conductivities (0.2 S cm-1 at 900 °C), essential requisites for this application [4].

A 3-probe cell-based reactor was developed, composed by a solid oxide-ion-conducting electrolyte substrate made of 8 % mol Y2O3 – stabilized ZrO2, a working electrode made of LSCF and counter and reference electrodes made of inert gold (Au), to avoid any influence of the latter parts in the electrocatalytic activity of the main LSCF electrocatalyst. A buffer layer of Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-δ (CGO) was additionally used between the working electrode and the substrate, to prevent the inter-reaction between the YSZ and LSCF.

The key aspect of this work was the use of an integrated zirconia oxygen sensor in the studies, to determine variations in the values of oxygen partial pressure (pO2
) upon polarisation, which were subsequently correlated with the extent of N2O conversion. This methodology proved to be highly effective and avoids the need for additional techniques, such as gas chromatography.

From the experiments, it was found that by applying cathodic polarisation (i.e -0.05 and -0.25 A), an increase of the catalytic rate (r O2 mol s-1) was observed, resulting in a significant increase of N2O conversion. An electrophobic behaviour of the electrocatalyst, i.e., a reaction rate that increases upon cathodic polarization, was observed for all temperatures with a maximum rate enhancement ratio (ρ=r/r0)
up to 3.47 was achieved at -0.05 A at 600 ºC. The Faradaic efficiency (Λ) was also calculated for the tested experimental conditions, and showed values that exceed unity, evidencing non-Faradaic electrochemical behaviour. The highest Λ value of 8.8 was obtained at the lower temperature and currents tested at 600 °C. The nature of the mechanism was also assessed, showing a completely reversible effect, where the electrochemically promoted reaction rate returns to its open circuit value upon removal of polarisation.

This work, therefore, highlights that non-Faradaic activation of heterogenous catalysis can be an effective tool to promote the reductive treatment of this greenhouse gas, with great environmental importance.

References

[1] R. van den Brink, S. Booneveld, J. . Pels, D. . Bakker, and M. J. F. . Verhaak, “Catalytic removal of N2O in model flue gases of a nitric acid plant using a promoted Fe zeolite,” Appl. Catal. B Environ., vol. 32, no. 1–2, pp. 73–81, Jul. 2001.

[2] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1303/2019-05-11. [Accessed: 08-Apr-2020].

[3] C. G. Vayenas, S. Bebelis and Neophytides, J. Phys. Chem, 1088, 92, 5083–5085.

[4] F. J. A. Loureiro, T. Yang, D. G. Stroppa and D. P. Fagg, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, 3, 12636–12641.

Acknowledgments

Laura I. V. Holzacknowledges Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for the PhD grant PD/BDE/142837/2018. Allan Araújo acknowledges to CAPES/Brazil, Finance Code 001 and grant numbers 1762100 and 88882.344798/2019-01 and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq/Brazil, reference number 200439/2019-7).The authors acknowledge the projects, PTDC/CTM-CTM/2156/2020, PTDC/QUI-ELT/3681/2020, POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039926, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032241, UIDB/00481/2020 and UIDP/00481/2020 and CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-022083 - Centro Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Centro2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In addition, Base Funding - UIDB/00511/2020 of the Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy – LEPABE - funded by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC).

Figure 1