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Hydrogen Production by Direct Lignin Electrolysis at Intermediate Temperatures
Author(s) -
Hibino Takashi,
Kobayashi Kazuyo,
Nagao Masahiro,
Teranishi Shinya
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201700917
Subject(s) - anode , electrolysis , hydrogen production , hydrogen , raw material , electrolysis of water , high pressure electrolysis , ethanol fuel , cathode , chemistry , polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis , chemical engineering , materials science , inorganic chemistry , pulp and paper industry , ethanol , electrode , organic chemistry , electrolyte , engineering
Hydrogen is produced conventionally by electrolyzing water or water vapor at onset voltages greater than 1 V, providing motivation for the development of more efficient electrolysis processes for a hydrogen economy. Numerous attempts have been made to use ethanol as a fuel for hydrogen production because this process reduces the electrolysis onset voltage significantly. However, ethanol feedstock from lignocellulose requires greater amounts of energy and results in higher production costs compared to those using starch as the feedstock. The current study describes direct lignin electrolysis at an onset voltage of ca. 0.25 V, with high current efficiencies of approximately 100 % for hydrogen production at the cathode and approximately 85 % for carbon dioxide production at the anode. Addition of H 3 PO 4 ‐impregnated lignin to the anode of a PtFe/C | Sn 0.9 In 0.1 P 2 O 7 (150 μm) | Pt/C cell enabled hydrogen production at a temperature of 150 °C.