A new study from the CAPTUS project, titled “Magnetically enhanced electrochemical conversion of CO₂ to formate: Experimental studies”, has been published by the partner Universidad de Cantabria (UNICAN) in the Chemical Engineering Journal.
The research investigates the impact of external magnetic fields on the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to formate in a filter-press reactor. Through a combination of experimental work and magnetic field modeling, the study demonstrates that strategic magnet placement significantly enhances performance. Notably, placing magnets near the cathode or at both ends of the electrochemical cell resulted in over 20% increases in formate concentration, with Faradaic efficiencies approaching 100%.
These improvements are attributed to the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect, which enhances mass transfer by inducing turbulence in the cathodic electrolyte. The effect is especially pronounced at low catholyte flow rates, where formate concentrations increased by more than 50%.
While the application of magnetic fields also led to increased energy consumption, the study highlights the potential of this approach to optimize CO₂ electroreduction processes and encourages further research in this area.
The article is already available in the scientific publication section on our website as well as in the dedicated CAPTUS community on Zenodo.