Low-Cost 3D Printable Flow Reactors for Electrochemistry

Transition to carbon neutrality requires the development of more sustainable pathways to synthesize the next generation of chemical building blocks. Electrochemistry is a promising pathway to achieve this goal, as it allows for using renewable energy to drive chemical transformations. While electroreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen evolution are attracting a significant research interest, there exist fundamental challenges in moving the research focus towards performing these reactions on scales relevant to industrial applications. To bridge this gap, we aim to facilitate the access of researchers to flow reactors, which allow characterizations of electrochemical transformations under the conditions closer to these deployed in the industry. Here we provide a 3D-printable flow cell design (manufacturing cost < $5) which consists of several plates, offering a customizable alternative to commercially available flow reactors (cost > $6,000). Proposed design and detailed build instructions allow a wide variety of chemical reactions in flow to be performed, including gas and liquid phase electroreduction, electroplating, and photoelectrochemical reactions, providing researchers with more flexibility and control over their experiments. By offering a low-cost reactor alternative, we reduce the barriers toward performing research on sustainable electrochemistry, supporting the global efforts necessary to realize the paradigm shift in chemical manufacturing.