Author Identifier

Hailee Philipps https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4689-7098

Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Thesis - ECU Access Only

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (Honours)

School

School of Science

First Supervisor

Magdalena Wajrak

Second Supervisor

Kamal Amaleh

Third Supervisor

Wade Lonsdale

Abstract

The rising of atmospheric carbon dioxide gas, along with associated threats, such as increasing average surface temperate, ocean acidification and rising sea levels, has propelled research into ‘greener’ energy alternatives, in order to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Another emerging area of research is the electrochemical reduction of CO2 into other, less environmentally harmful and useful compounds. The products of CO2 reduction are dependant on the catalyst used in the electrolytic cell. The analysis of the left over CO2 gas and other gases produced during the electrochemical reduction is vital in determining the performance of the various catalysts and is essential in the development of electrochemical cells for the reduction of CO2. Consequently, the purpose of this research project was to develop an accurate Gas Chromatography – Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) Methanizer method, to detect and quantify the major gaseous molecules present in the output of a CO2 electrochemical reduction cell. Once validated the method was then applied to detect CO2, CO and CH4 gases from an actual electrochemical research cell developed at Curtin University, Western Australia. The GC-FID-Methanizer method was able to successfully detect and quantify these gases using various catalysts and electrochemical parameters. The applications of this method are not limited to electrochemistry, and it was also successfully used to quantify gases released during porous carbon synthesis research.

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