Electrochemical synthesis in company with hydrogen production via renewable energy: Opportunities and challenges

doi:10.1016/S1872-2067(23)64625-X

Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2024, Vol. 58: 1-6.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(23)64625-X

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Electrochemical synthesis in company with hydrogen production via renewable energy: Opportunities and challenges

Zidong Wei^a,*(), Xun Huang^a, Haohong Duan^b, Mingfei Shao^c, Rengui Li^d, Jinli Zhang^e, Can Li^d,*(), Xue Duan^c,*()

^aSchool of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
^bDepartment of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
^cSchool of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
^dDalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China
^eSchool of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China

Received:2024-01-08 Accepted:2024-02-18 Online:2024-03-18 Published:2024-03-28
Contact: *E-mail: zdwei@cqu.edu.cn (Z. Wei),canli@dicp.ac.cn (C. Li),duanx@mail.buct.edu.cn (X. Duan).
About author:Zidong Wei (College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University) was invited as an Associate Editor of the 6th Editorial Board of Chin. J. Catal. Prof. Zidong Wei received his BSc. Degree in material science and technology in 1984 at Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, his MSc. Degree in analytical chemistry in 1987 at Shaanxi Normal University and his Ph.D. in applied chemistry in 1994 at Tianjin University. He carried out his overseas research as a JACA fellow at Catalysis Research Center in Hokkaido University (Japan) from May, 2001 to November, 2001, and as a TCT fellow at Fuel Cells Center in Nanyang Technology University (Singapore) from October, 2002 to January, 2003. Since June, 1997, he has been working in Chongqing University. He was appointed as the dean of the college of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University from 2010 to 2021. He was also appointed as a Chungkung Professor by the Ministry of Education of China in 2009. He is now the Professor and the Director of the National Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Chemical Process Intensification, Chongqing University. His research interests mainly focuses on chemical energy conversation, electrocatalysis, electrosynthesis, advanced chemical power and water electrolysis with experimental investigation and theoretical simulation. He has published more than 300 peer reviewed papers and obtained more than 40 invention patents in China. His work has been cited over 23,000 times. He is the author of two books, Electrochemical Catalysis, and Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction Reaction.
Can Li (Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science) received his Ph.D. degree from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1988 through a cooperative program with Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. He later joined the same institute and was promoted to full professor in 1993. He conducted postdoctoral research at Northwestern University in the USA. He was elected as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2003, a member of the Academy of Science for Developing Countries in 2005, a foreign member of Academia European in 2008, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2008. His research interests include in-situ/operando spectroscopic studies on catalysts and catalytic reactions. His research has been focused on photocatalytic, photoelectrocatalytic and electrolytic water splitting, and CO₂ reduction utilizing renewable energy for solar fuel production. A 1000-ton scale pilot production of liquid sunshine methanol was successfully demonstrated in China in 2020. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Chin. J. Catal. and serves on the editorial boards of several international journals. He has published more than 900 peer-reviewed papers with over 40000 citations, more than 200 granted patents and over 150 plenary and keynote lectures at international conferences.
Xue Duan (School of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology) received his B.S. in 1982 from Jilin University and Ph.D. degree in 1988 from Chinese Academy of Sciences. He later joined BUCT staff and founded the Applied Chemistry Research Institute in 1990. In 2007, he was elected as an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He has published over 400 research papers in leading SCI international journals in chemical engineering, chemistry, and materials. He has been acknowledged as a Highly Cited Chinese Researcher for several years. Prof. Duan has developed a unique research program focusing on Intercalation Assembly and Resource Utilization. He has introduced innovative concepts like correlating the deformation of octahedral metal sites with intercalated materials' structure, coupling catalytic reactions with heat transfer, ultrastable mineralization, green hydrogen generation, and carbonate mineral hydrorefining. More than 30 industrial production lines have been built based on his technologies to manufacture salt-lake resource related materials, automotive fine chemicals, mesoporous adsorption materials, and soil remediation materials.
Supported by:
National Nature Science Foundation of China(22342016);National Nature Science Foundation of China(22090030);National Nature Science Foundation of China(22325805);National Nature Science Foundation of China(22178033)

Abstract

Abstract:

Organic electromechanical synthesis is an eco-friendly and efficient method for material synthesis, effectively addressing the high energy consumption and pollution problems in the traditional chemical industry. By combining hydrogen production from water electrolysis with organic electromechanical synthesis, the reactive oxygen/hydrogen from water hydrolysis can be utilized to oxidize/reduce organic compounds, reducing energy consumption and producing valuable organic products. However, this strategy still faces challenges when implemented in the industry. This paper addresses major technical challenges in the field, providing new insights for future advancements. Firstly, when selecting anode reactions for hydrogen production, it is important to consider the value and market demand of the oxidation product to match the production scale. Secondly, the development of efficient electrocatalysts and electrodes is required to enhance the oxidation kinetics and mass transfer of organics at the current density levels of industrial hydrogen production (500‒2000 mA cm^‒2). Thirdly, it is essential to improve the selectivity and Faraday efficiency of the anode target product to lower the cost of subsequent separation and purification. Fourthly, existing anion and oxygen ion exchange membranes lack corrosion resistance to organic matter, and new separator materials with high ion conductivity and stability are crucial for the electrolytic coupling system. Finally, when combining organic oxidation and water electrolysis, the complexity of product separation increases, and it is recommended to integrate distillation, extraction, membrane separation, and electrochemical reactions to improve process efficiency.

Key words: Electrochemical synthesis, Hydrogen evolution, Reaction match, Product selectivity, Membrane stability, Process intensification

Zidong Wei, Xun Huang, Haohong Duan, Mingfei Shao, Rengui Li, Jinli Zhang, Can Li, Xue Duan. Electrochemical synthesis in company with hydrogen production via renewable energy: Opportunities and challenges[J]. Chinese Journal of Catalysis, 2024, 58: 1-6.

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Electrochemical synthesis in company with hydrogen production via renewable energy: Opportunities and challenges

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