REDUCTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE TO FORMIC ACID IN VARIOUS KINDS OF ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICES.

The reduction of carbon dioxide is considered a relevant topic for both the synthesis of chemicals and/or fuels and the decrease of global warming. Indeed, the utilization of CO2 as a feedstock for producing chemicals may contribute to alleviate global climate changes caused by the increasing CO2 emissions and provide new opportunities for catalytic and industrial development. In the last years, an increasing attention has been devoted to the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to formic acid or formate in water. Thus, formic acid has a broad market and wide application range in dyeing, textile and leather industries, in rubber production, as an intermediate in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as an aid in the ensilage of green forage and potentially as a fuel and energy-storage medium [1]. The reduction of carbon dioxide to formic acid at a tin cathode was here studied in various kinds of electrochemical cells such as conventional divided and undivided cells, pressurized cells, microbial electrolysis cells and reverse electrodialysis stacks. A comparison of the performances of the results achieved in the different kind of systems was performed.