A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient Electrooxidation
Electrochemical oxidation, widely used in green production and pollution abatement, is often accompanied by the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which results in a high consumption of electricity and is a potential explosion hazard. To solve this problem, we report here a method for converting the...
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/11/2841 |
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| author | Zhiqiang Zhao Lu Liu Luofu Min Wen Zhang Yuxin Wang |
| author_facet | Zhiqiang Zhao Lu Liu Luofu Min Wen Zhang Yuxin Wang |
| author_sort | Zhiqiang Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Electrochemical oxidation, widely used in green production and pollution abatement, is often accompanied by the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which results in a high consumption of electricity and is a potential explosion hazard. To solve this problem, we report here a method for converting the original HER cathode into one that enables the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) without having to build new electrolysis cells or be concerned about electrolyte leakage from the O<sub>2</sub> gas electrode. The viability of this method is demonstrated using the electrolytic production of ammonium persulfate (APS) as an example. The original carbon black electrode for the HER is converted to an ORR electrode by first undergoing in situ anodization and then contacting O<sub>2</sub> or air bubbled from the bottom of the electrode. With this sole change, APS production can achieve an electric energy saving of up to 20.3%. Considering the ease and low cost of this modification, such significant electricity savings make this method very promising in the upgrade of electrochemical oxidation processes, with wide potential applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:02:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3094eb17b5514931a5af5586f17463d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:02:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-3094eb17b5514931a5af5586f17463d22023-11-21T21:25:06ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442021-05-011411284110.3390/ma14112841A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient ElectrooxidationZhiqiang Zhao0Lu Liu1Luofu Min2Wen Zhang3Yuxin Wang4State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaElectrochemical oxidation, widely used in green production and pollution abatement, is often accompanied by the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which results in a high consumption of electricity and is a potential explosion hazard. To solve this problem, we report here a method for converting the original HER cathode into one that enables the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) without having to build new electrolysis cells or be concerned about electrolyte leakage from the O<sub>2</sub> gas electrode. The viability of this method is demonstrated using the electrolytic production of ammonium persulfate (APS) as an example. The original carbon black electrode for the HER is converted to an ORR electrode by first undergoing in situ anodization and then contacting O<sub>2</sub> or air bubbled from the bottom of the electrode. With this sole change, APS production can achieve an electric energy saving of up to 20.3%. Considering the ease and low cost of this modification, such significant electricity savings make this method very promising in the upgrade of electrochemical oxidation processes, with wide potential applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/11/2841carbon blackgas electrodeORRin situ anodizationAPSelectricity saving |
| spellingShingle | Zhiqiang Zhao Lu Liu Luofu Min Wen Zhang Yuxin Wang A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient Electrooxidation Materials carbon black gas electrode ORR in situ anodization APS electricity saving |
| title | A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient Electrooxidation |
| title_full | A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient Electrooxidation |
| title_fullStr | A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient Electrooxidation |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient Electrooxidation |
| title_short | A Facile Method to Realize Oxygen Reduction at the Hydrogen Evolution Cathode of an Electrolytic Cell for Energy-Efficient Electrooxidation |
| title_sort | facile method to realize oxygen reduction at the hydrogen evolution cathode of an electrolytic cell for energy efficient electrooxidation |
| topic | carbon black gas electrode ORR in situ anodization APS electricity saving |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/11/2841 |
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