Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite Anode

Abstract This paper reports an electrochemical approach that uses lignin as a resource for renewable and sustainable methanol production. The aromatic rings of lignin have methoxy substituents, which can be oxidatively demethylated to methanol by active oxygen produced at the anode. A graphite elect...

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Main Authors: Zichun Xiong, Kazuyo Kobayashi, Aki Miyawaki, Shinya Teranishi, Yoshiharu Sawada, Takashi Hibino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2025-01-01
Series:ChemElectroChem
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.202400464
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author Zichun Xiong
Kazuyo Kobayashi
Aki Miyawaki
Shinya Teranishi
Yoshiharu Sawada
Takashi Hibino
author_facet Zichun Xiong
Kazuyo Kobayashi
Aki Miyawaki
Shinya Teranishi
Yoshiharu Sawada
Takashi Hibino
author_sort Zichun Xiong
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This paper reports an electrochemical approach that uses lignin as a resource for renewable and sustainable methanol production. The aromatic rings of lignin have methoxy substituents, which can be oxidatively demethylated to methanol by active oxygen produced at the anode. A graphite electrode fabricated in a sponge form provided sufficient reaction space for the lignin feedstock, efficiently generated active oxygen species from water, and considerably suppressed the overoxidation of methanol to carbon dioxide. As a result, the methanol yield reached approximately 70 % at a temperature of 75 °C, atmospheric pressure, and anode potential of +0.57 V. Another advantage of this technique is that hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) occurred at the cathode and the cathode potential was held at approximately −0.5 V during the HER. Therefore, the cell voltage required for lignin electrolysis was 1.1 V or lower, which means that hydrogen as well as methanol was produced under mild conditions.
format Article
id doaj-art-4b58ab391d9f4810ab9777f439827045
institution Kabale University
issn 2196-0216
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Wiley-VCH
record_format Article
series ChemElectroChem
spelling doaj-art-4b58ab391d9f4810ab9777f4398270452025-01-16T04:43:36ZengWiley-VCHChemElectroChem2196-02162025-01-01122n/an/a10.1002/celc.202400464Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite AnodeZichun Xiong0Kazuyo Kobayashi1Aki Miyawaki2Shinya Teranishi3Yoshiharu Sawada4Takashi Hibino5Graduate School of Environmental Studies Nagoya University Nagoya 464-8601 JapanGraduate School of Environmental Studies Nagoya University Nagoya 464-8601 JapanSoken, Inc. Nisshin, Aichi 470-0111 JapanSoken, Inc. Nisshin, Aichi 470-0111 JapanTechnical Center Nagoya University Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601 JapanGraduate School of Environmental Studies Nagoya University Nagoya 464-8601 JapanAbstract This paper reports an electrochemical approach that uses lignin as a resource for renewable and sustainable methanol production. The aromatic rings of lignin have methoxy substituents, which can be oxidatively demethylated to methanol by active oxygen produced at the anode. A graphite electrode fabricated in a sponge form provided sufficient reaction space for the lignin feedstock, efficiently generated active oxygen species from water, and considerably suppressed the overoxidation of methanol to carbon dioxide. As a result, the methanol yield reached approximately 70 % at a temperature of 75 °C, atmospheric pressure, and anode potential of +0.57 V. Another advantage of this technique is that hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) occurred at the cathode and the cathode potential was held at approximately −0.5 V during the HER. Therefore, the cell voltage required for lignin electrolysis was 1.1 V or lower, which means that hydrogen as well as methanol was produced under mild conditions.https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.202400464ElectrolysisWaste biomassLigninMethanolHydrogen
spellingShingle Zichun Xiong
Kazuyo Kobayashi
Aki Miyawaki
Shinya Teranishi
Yoshiharu Sawada
Takashi Hibino
Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite Anode
ChemElectroChem
Electrolysis
Waste biomass
Lignin
Methanol
Hydrogen
title Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite Anode
title_full Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite Anode
title_fullStr Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite Anode
title_full_unstemmed Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite Anode
title_short Electro‐Oxidative Extraction of Methanol from Lignin Using a Three‐Dimensional Graphite Anode
title_sort electro oxidative extraction of methanol from lignin using a three dimensional graphite anode
topic Electrolysis
Waste biomass
Lignin
Methanol
Hydrogen
url https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.202400464
work_keys_str_mv AT zichunxiong electrooxidativeextractionofmethanolfromligninusingathreedimensionalgraphiteanode
AT kazuyokobayashi electrooxidativeextractionofmethanolfromligninusingathreedimensionalgraphiteanode
AT akimiyawaki electrooxidativeextractionofmethanolfromligninusingathreedimensionalgraphiteanode
AT shinyateranishi electrooxidativeextractionofmethanolfromligninusingathreedimensionalgraphiteanode
AT yoshiharusawada electrooxidativeextractionofmethanolfromligninusingathreedimensionalgraphiteanode
AT takashihibino electrooxidativeextractionofmethanolfromligninusingathreedimensionalgraphiteanode