The change in global climate, brought on by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, is a worldwide concern. Industrial processes are responsible for almost 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and chemical production is the second-largest contributor to emissions, behind only cement, iron, and steel production. Despite a projected growth of over 30% by 2050, only 3% of chemical companies plan to reach net zero in that time. Finding non-emissive alternatives to reduce the carbon footprint of chemical manufacturing is thus critical. Industrial carbon footprints can be minimized via sector coupling, where the wastes of one process are used as feedstock for another. Of particular interest are the wastes of low-carbon processes: if utilized in the synthesis of other valuable products, CO2 emissions are further decreased and profits are increased, improving both processes’ market viability. In this work, we utilize glycerol, a waste of biodiesel production, in an electrolysis process to synthesize both hydrogen and valuable chemicals. Specifically, our work employs a flow electrolyzer to investigate glycerol electrooxidation in a system whose performance will resemble that of similar configurations at production scales. For industrial feasibility in an electrochemical system, it is necessary to have high product Faradaic efficiency (selectivity), high current density (activity), low overpotentials (high energy efficiency), and robust durability. This paper will present optimization of the glycerol electrooxidation reaction to different value-added chemicals as a function of a range of operational parameters. We also address the performance impacts of the composition of raw feedstock, as the composition of crude glycerol waste is quite different from that of pure glycerol.

Electrochemical valorization of glycerol in flow electrolyzers

Where thousands of chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Spring 2023 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch at the end of March.

ACS Spring 2023

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.