A small amount of acid in the water-vapor feed helped a reported carbon-dioxide electrolyzer run for up to 4,500 hours, compared with failure in less than 500 hours when fed pure water. The result, reported in 2025 for a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), points to a way to improve cell stability—not proof that the process is commercially ready or that acid prevents all salt buildup.
Why salt deposits can stop a CO₂ electrolyzer
Electrochemical CO₂ reduction uses electricity to convert carbon dioxide into chemicals such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. In one promising arrangement, an MEA presses two electrodes against an anion-exchange membrane. Its cathode is a gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) supplied with CO₂ and water vapor.
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At the anode, water oxidation releases oxygen and electrons. The electrons travel through an external circuit to the cathode, where they can drive either CO₂ reduction or hydrogen production. Because CO₂ is stable, hydrogen production can otherwise be favored.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Researchers commonly add alkali-metal salts to the anode electrolyte to promote CO₂ reduction. The detailed activation mechanism remains debated; Rice University electrochemist Ahmad Elgazzar described cations as interacting electrostatically with CO₂ in an initial activation step. At neutral pH, however, those cations can also contribute to bicarbonate or carbonate formation. These salts have limited water solubility and can deposit in the GDE, restricting gas flow, raising pressure and ultimately causing cell failure. Earlier approaches such as membrane modifications and pulsed electrolysis had not fully resolved the problem, according to Chemistry World’s 2025 report.
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What the acidified feed changed
Elgazzar and colleagues in Haotian Wang’s group at Rice University added hydrochloric acid to the water-vapor feed in cells using potassium salts. Chemistry World reported that MEAs fed pure water degraded rapidly and failed in less than 500 hours, while acidified feed containing hydrochloric acid at concentrations as low as 0.05 M supported stable operation for up to 4,500 hours. These are outcomes reported for the study, not a general performance guarantee.
| Feed approach | Reported operating duration | What the report establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Pure-water feed | Failed in less than 500 hours, as reported by Chemistry World for the 2025 study | Rapid degradation occurred in the reported MEA setup. |
| Acidified water-vapor feed | Stable operation for up to 4,500 hours; hydrochloric acid concentration as low as 0.05 M, as reported by Chemistry World for the 2025 study | Longer stable operation was reported; the account does not establish a universal result across electrolyzer designs or industrial conditions. |
The reported result is not that acid eliminated salt formation. Some salt deposition was visible when acid-humidified cells were disassembled. The researchers did not attribute eventual failure to those deposits because they had not observed a sudden drop in gas-flow pressure beforehand. The report does not establish every cause of failure.
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Acid choice involves a trade-off
Hydrochloric acid was the main intervention described, but the team also reportedly tested less corrosive acids. Team member Shaoyun Hao named potassium formate and potassium acetate salts, which the report says are more soluble than potassium bicarbonate. The account does not provide a quantitative, side-by-side comparison of the alternative acids’ lifetime, corrosion, or performance, so it does not support ranking them against hydrochloric acid.
A technoeconomic analysis reportedly found a cost benefit because only tiny quantities of acid were consumed. Chemistry World gives no numerical cost estimate or complete scale-up assessment, so that finding alone does not show that the process is commercially cost-competitive.
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What this could mean for CO₂-derived chemicals
Longer stable operation matters because deposits that obstruct a gas-diffusion cathode can compromise gas delivery and interrupt electrolysis. The reported work therefore addresses an important durability obstacle for MEA-based CO₂ conversion. Chemical pathways under investigation across the wider field include formic acid or formate, carbon monoxide, methanol, ethylene and ethanol; these examples provide context, not a list of products demonstrated by this acid-addition experiment. See Fraunhofer IGB’s overview of electrosynthesis and the National Academies’ discussion of potential commercial uses of CO₂.
Chemical engineer Cao Thang Dinh of Queen’s University, Canada, told Chemistry World: “I’m surprised many people didn’t try this before because it’s so simple and yet it works. I think it will have a huge impact on practical applications.” That is an assessment of the approach’s potential, not evidence of commercial deployment.
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The primary study is S. Hao et al., Science (2025), DOI 10.1126/science.adr3834. Chemistry World’s account does not establish commercial readiness, performance across industrial operating conditions, or lifecycle emissions. In particular, the result does not by itself show that the process is carbon-negative: that depends on the electricity source and the wider production system, and no lifecycle analysis is reported here.
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- devised for professional electrochemistry experiments, featuring a 4mm distance between electrodes to minimize resistance without high cell pressure.
- Utilizes stainless steel electrodes and graphite with gold-plated components for enhanced conductivity stability compared to traditional copper tape.
- Incorporates a special groove structure for easy installation of electrodes and diaphragms, ensuring effective sealing and conductivity.
- Simple and user-friendly devise reduces operational uncertainty, preventing issues such as leakage and poor insulation.
- Compatible with various counter electrode shapes, including metal sheets, mesh, or foam, maintaining the device's sealing integrity.
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