Efficient electrochemical production of glucaric acid and H2 via glucose electrolysis

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 265 - 11
• Main Authors: Liu, Wu-Jun, Xu, Zhuoran, Zhao, Dongting, Pan, Xiao-Qiang, Li, Hong-Chao, Hu, Xiao, Fan, Zhi-Yong, Wang, Wei-Kang, Zhao, Guo-Hua, Jin, Song, Huber, George W., Yu, Han-Qing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 14.01.2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/146; 140/58; 147/135; 147/143; 639/301/299/886; 639/638/224/909; 639/638/675; Acids; Anodizing; Biomass; Biomass energy production; Catalysts; Chemical reduction; Chemical synthesis; Economic analysis; Economic models; Electrocatalysts; Electrochemistry; Electrolysis; Electrolytic cells; Energy conservation; Foams; Glucaric acid; Glucose; Heavy metals; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydrogen production; Hydrogen-based energy; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Intermetallic compounds; Iron compounds; Iron oxides; multidisciplinary; Nickel; Nickel compounds; Nickel ferrites; Nitrides; Organic chemistry; Oxidation; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Selectivity
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14157-3

Glucose electrolysis offers a prospect of value-added glucaric acid synthesis and energy-saving 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. Renewable biomass conversion may afford high-value products from common materials, but catalysts usually require expensive metals and exhibit poor selectivities. Here, authors employ nickel-iron oxide and nitride electrocatalysts to produce H 2 and to convert glucose to glucaric acid selectively.