| Abstract Scope |
The steam cracking of ethane for ethylene production in chemical industry is notoriously energy-intensive and results in significant carbon emissions. To address these challenges, this work introduces a novel electrochemical decomposition pathway for ethane within molten alkali metal halide salt systems at 400-600°C. The core of the process involves the electrolysis of molten chlorides, which drives the chlorination of ethane near the anode. Gaseous chloroethanes and hydrogen chloride subsequently react with the liquid alkali metal or solvated electrons generated at the cathode, efficiently producing valuable outputs while simultaneously regenerating the alkali metal chloride electrolyte, establishing a sustainable, closed-loop system. This system achieved 71% ethane conversion with 48% hydrogen selectivity and 34% ethylene selectivity under laboratory-scale conditions in a LiCl-NaCl-KCl cell (550°C and 1.5 ampere). This molten salt electrochemical technique presents a promising solution for the valorization of ethane. (Reference: ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2025, 13, 21, 8024-8033.) |