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

Masaaki Sadakiyo, Shinichi Hata, Xuedong Cui, Miho Yamauchi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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 TiO2 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 TiO2 directly grown on Ti mesh (TiO2/Ti-M) or Ti felt (TiO2/Ti-F) was newly fabricated as a cathode having favourable substrate diffusivity. A membrane-electrode assembly composed of the TiO2/Ti-M, Nafion 117, and an IrO2 supported on a gas-diffusion carbon electrode (IrO2/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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number17032
JournalScientific reports
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017 Dec 1
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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