Electrochemical Conversion of Biomass

Lignin is a complex, polyaromatic biopolymer. It is produced in large quantities in the pulping and ethanol production industries. The vast majority of lignin generated in these processes is burned to recover energy. However, lignin’s polyaromatic structure make it attractive as a natural feedstock for commercial products like resins and resin binders, bioplastics, etc. Techniques to depolymerize and activate lignin would benefit U.S. energy and materials security. However, lignin is difficult to depolymerize. Conventional techniques operate at high temperatures and pressures, and often lead to formation of undesired products like char. They are also difficult to control. ISEE’s research into electrochemical conversion of biomass focuses on low-temperature, low-energy processes that target specific classes of products, like functionalized aromatic compounds.

Advantages

• Low temperatures (less than 50°C) and low pressures (1 atm)
• Low energy consumption
• Targeted conversion products

Electrochemical Oxidation of Lignin

• Inexpensive electrocatalysts
• High-rate conversion
• High yield of functionalized aromatic compounds

Literature

• NaderiNasrabadi, M., Rakshit, S.K., Viswanathan, G., Chen, Z., Harrington, P.B., Staser, J.A. (2021). A Techno-economic Analysis for Integrating an Electrochemical Reactor into a Lignocellulosic Biorefinery for Production of Industrial Chemicals and Hydrogen. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 193, 791-806.
• Bateni, F., Ghahremani, R., Staser, J.A. (2021). Electrochemical oxidative valorization of lignin by the nanostructured PbO2/MWNTs electrocatalysts in a low-energy depolymerization process. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 51, 65-78.
• Ghahremani, R., Farales, F., Bateni, F., Staser, J.A. (2020). Simultaneous Hydrogen Evolution and Lignin Depolymerization using NiSn Electrocatalysts in a Biomass-Depolarized Electrolyzer. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 167, 043502.
• Chen, Z.., NaderiNasrabadi, M., Staser, J.A., Harrington, P.B. (2020). Application of Generalized Standard Addition Method and Ultraviolet Spectroscopy to Quantify Electrolytic Depolymerization of Lignin. Journal of Analysis and Testing, 4, 35-44.
• Bateni, F., NaderiNasrabadi, M., Ghahremani, R., Staser, J.A., (2019). Low-Cost Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution in an Anion Exchange Membrane Lignin Electrolysis Cell. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 166, F1037.
• NaderiNasrabadi, M., Bateni, F., Chen, Z. Harrington, P.B., Staser, J.A. (2019). Biomass-Depolarized Electrolysis. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 166, E317. · Ghahremani, R., Staser, J.A. (2018). Electrochemical oxidation of lignin in the production of value-added chemicals on Ni-Co bimetallic electrocatalysts. Holzforschung, 72, 951-960.
• Movil-Cabrera, O., Rodriguez-Silva, A., Arroyo-Torres, C., Staser, J.A. (2016). Electrochemical conversion of lignin to useful chemicals. Biomass and Bioenergy, 88, 89-96.
• Movil, O., Garlock, M., Staser, J.A. (2015). Non-precious metal nanoparticle electrocatalysts for electrochemical modification of lignin for low-energy and cost-effective production of hydrogen. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40, 4519-4530.

Technology Readiness Level

• Electrochemical conversion of lignin: TRL-3

Current Investigators

• John Staser, Principal Investigator

Sponsors

• U.S. Department of Energy
• National Science Foundation