Functional Aqueous Zinc–Acetylene Batteries for Electricity Generation and Electrochemical Acetylene Reduction to Ethylene

Abstract

The available processes for removing acetylene impurities from crude ethylene are tremendously energy‐intensive. Herein, we demonstrate a novel aqueous Zn–C2H2 battery, which not only switches energy‐consuming acetylene removal to electricity generation, but also reduces acetylene to ethylene through a unique discharge mechanism: C2H2+Zn+H2O→C2H4+ZnO. Under a pure acetylene stream, this Zn–C2H2 battery exhibits an open circuit potential of 1.14 V and a peak power density of 2.2 mW cm−2, which exceed those of reported Zn–CO2 batteries. Even for simulated crude ethylene, the Zn–C2H2 battery manifests an acetylene conversion of 99.97 % and continuously produces polymer‐grade ethylene with only ≈3 ppm acetylene during a long‐term discharge operation. Such a functional battery is universally appliable for reducing other alkynes and generating electricity. Therefore, this work provides an effective strategy for green ethylene purification and the design of functional batteries.

Advanced electrocatalytic systems for enhanced atom/electron utilization

“…Similar devices were also used for the reduction of acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) and impurities of crude ethylene (C 2 H 4 ), which is a difficult and energy-intensive process in the state-of-the-art industrial technology. Zhang and co-workers 102 demonstrated a novel Zn–C 2 H 2 battery system which could not only convert C 2 H 2 impurities to a high value C 2 H 4 target product, but also generate electrical energy. This Zn–C 2 H 2 battery assembled as a common GDE by applying 1.0 M KOH as the electrolyte exports an open circuit potential of 1.14 V and a maximum power density of 2.2 mW cm −2 under a pure C 2 H 4 gas stream.…”

Advances in Selective Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation of Alkynes to Alkenes

“…For example, the flow cell using PdFe NSs completely converted the MBY to MBE after 264 h at −0.4 V without compromising selectivity, while the H‐Cell needed 400 h. In addition, an aqueous Zn‐acetylene battery was fabricated for simultaneously generating electricity and electrochemically hydrogenating acetylene to ethylene (Figure 7d). [56] A peak power density of 2.2 mW cm −2 in a pure acetylene stream and polymer‐grade ethylene in a crude ethylene stream was obtained for the Zn‐acetylene battery.…”

Zn‐Organic Batteries for the Semi‐Hydrogenation of Biomass Aldehyde Derivatives and Concurrently Enhanced Power Output

“…However, in this kind of Zn‐organic batteries, the organics were utilized as energy storage materials, and no value‐added chemicals have been produced. Recently, a novel Zn‐organic battery, assembled as Zn−C 2 H 2 battery, outputs a 1.14 V open circuit potential (OCP) while converts C 2 H 2 to C 2 H 4 , [5] which achieves the purpose of combined electricity generation and electrochemical syntheses through certain kinds of electrochemical reactions. This type of functional batteries may be a promising solution to integrate the merits of both processes in single systems, and accomplish so‐called “killing two birds (even more) with one stone” goal for energy supply and value‐added chemical production efficiently.…”