Efficient electrochemical production of glucaric acid and H2 via glucose electrolysis

Abstract

Glucose electrolysis offers a prospect of value-added glucaric acid synthesis and energysaving hydrogen production from the biomass-based platform molecules. Here we report that nanostructured NiFe oxide (NiFeO x ) and nitride (NiFeN x ) catalysts, synthesized from NiFe layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays on three-dimensional Ni foams, demonstrate a high activity and selectivity towards anodic glucose oxidation. The electrolytic cell assembled with these two catalysts can deliver 100 mA cm −2 at 1.39 V. A faradaic efficiency of 87% and glucaric acid yield of 83% are obtained from the glucose electrolysis, which takes place via a guluronic acid pathway evidenced by in-situ infrared spectroscopy. A rigorous process model combined with a techno-economic analysis shows that the electrochemical reduction of glucose produces glucaric acid at a 54% lower cost than the current chemical approach. This work suggests that glucose electrolysis is an energy-saving and cost-effective approach for H 2 production and biomass valorization.

Alcohol oxidation as alternative anode reactions paired with (photo)electrochemical fuel production reactions

“…For example, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical H 2 production has successfully been coupled with the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a key intermediate produced from cellulosic biomass, to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a potential replacement for the terephthalic acid used in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics 5 . Other examples include oxidation of glucose and glycerol, which can be produced abundantly from cellulosic biomass conversion and biodiesel production, respectively, to more value-added products such as glucaric acid and formic acid 6 , 7 . We note that all the above reactions involve alcohol and aldehyde oxidation to their corresponding carboxylic acids.…”

“…Thus, it is reasonable to expect that the optimal catalytic electrodes for AOR would be those that are poorly catalytic for OER. Surprisingly, however, most of the non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts reported to achieve high FEs for these reactions are the same ones known to be good OER catalysts (e.g., Ni- and Co-based oxides, hydroxides, and oxyhydroxides) 6 - 9 .…”

Electrosynthesis of Biobased Chemicals Using Carbohydrates as a Feedstock

“…More recently, Liu et al reported that nanostructured NiFe oxides (NiFeO x ) and NiFe nitrides (NiFeN x ) catalysts exhibit a great activity and selectivity toward the electrochemical oxidation of d -glucose ( 14 ) [ 89 ]. The authors used nickel foam as a support as a Ni source for the catalyst and to ensure a 3D structure to the electrode.…”

Coproduction of hydrogen and lactic acid from glucose photocatalysis on band-engineered Zn1-xCdxS homojunction

“…Combining our results and previous studies, we proposed a possible mechanism for glucose photocatalysis with band-engineered Zn 0.6 Cd 0.4 S homojunction ( Figure 5 C). ( Holm, et al., 2010 ; Wang, et al., 2013 ; Liu et al., 2020a , 2020b ) Under visible light irradiation, Zn 1-x Cd x S homojunction possessing a favorable bandgap is activated, and the photogenerated electrons on the conduction band reduce the absorbed oxygen to form superoxide radicals. The generated superoxide radical undergoes the further derivatization process via hydroperoxide radical to produce other reactive oxygen species such as ·OH.…”

“…Among other emerging routes, solar-driven biomass photocatalysis (the so-called photo-biorefinery) is appealing to realize solar energy storage into chemical bonds with high energy density( Butburee, et al., 2020 ; Zhao, et al., 2021 ; Wu et al., 2020a , 2020b ; Wu, et al., 2017 ; Zhang et al., 2017a , 2017b ). As one of the most abundant biomass-based compounds, glucose has been utilized to produce various value-added chemicals like glucaric acid, gluconic acid, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and lactic acid( Liu et al., 2020a , 2020b ; Zhang and Huber, 2018 ). Lactic acid, a natural organic acid with extremely wide applications in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical fields, could be used as a monomer to produce biodegradable polylactic acid for medical, packaging, electronic applications ( Komesu, et al., 2017 ).…”