Electrochemical Production of Glycolic Acid from Oxalic Acid Using a Polymer Electrolyte Alcohol Electrosynthesis Cell Containing a Porous TiO2 Catalyst

A liquid flow-type electrolyser that continuously produces an alcohol from a carboxylic acid was constructed by employing a polymer electrolyte, named a polymer electrolyte alcohol electrosynthesis cell (PEAEC). Glycolic acid (GC, an alcoholic compound) is generated on anatase TiO 2 catalysts via fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2017-12, Vol.7 (1), p.1-9, Article 17032
Main Authors: Sadakiyo, Masaaki, Hata, Shinichi, Cui, Xuedong, Yamauchi, Miho
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/638/161/886
639/638/675
Acids
Alcohol
Carboxylic acids
Catalysts
Electric power
Electrochemistry
Electrodes
Electrolytes
Energy conversion
Glycolic acid
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
Oxalic acid
Oxidation
Polymers
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Titanium dioxide
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Summary:A liquid flow-type electrolyser that continuously produces an alcohol from a carboxylic acid was constructed by employing a polymer electrolyte, named a polymer electrolyte alcohol electrosynthesis cell (PEAEC). Glycolic acid (GC, an alcoholic compound) is generated on anatase TiO 2 catalysts via four-electron reduction of oxalic acid (OX, a divalent carboxylic acid), accompanied with water oxidation, which achieves continuous electric power storage in easily stored GC. Porous anatase TiO 2 directly grown on Ti mesh (TiO 2 /Ti-M) or Ti felt (TiO 2 /Ti-F) was newly fabricated as a cathode having favourable substrate diffusivity. A membrane-electrode assembly composed of the TiO 2 /Ti-M, Nafion 117, and an IrO 2 supported on a gas-diffusion carbon electrode (IrO 2 /C) was applied to the PEAEC. We achieved a maximum energy conversion efficiency of 49.6% and a continuous 99.8% conversion of 1 M OX, which is an almost saturated aqueous solution at room temperature.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-17036-3