(201h) Electrifying Chemical Production to Decarbonize the Chemical Industry

Currently, 21% of the global greenhouse gas emissions come from the industry sector, while chemical manufacturing accounts for the largest share of industrial carbon emissions. Electrochemical processes, powered by renewable energy, present a sustainable alternative to the conventional thermochemical methodologies that depend on fossil fuels. With the swift advancement of renewable electricity, the electrification of chemical production emerges as a promising solution for the decarbonization of the chemical industry.¹

This presentation will discuss the electrochemical processes aimed at the production of chemicals traditionally associated with high emission footprints. I will begin with the design of high-performance CO₂ electrolysis systems that transform CO₂ and water into valuable chemicals and fuels. A particular focus will be on how the integration of tandem electrocatalytic and electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic systems enhances Faradaic efficiency and carbon efficiency in CO₂ conversion.^2-3

Furthermore, I will discuss the electrochemical processes for synthesizing high-carbon-footprint chemicals, such as ethylamine, ethylene glycol, and nitric acid.^4-5 The presentation will highlight how the fusion of cutting-edge catalyst design, operando spectroscopy for real-time characterization, and the engineering of electrochemical reactors, combined with techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, can bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical applications. This approach is aimed at making electrochemical processes a feasible and scalable option for decarbonizing the chemical industry.

References:

1. Xia, R.; Overa, S.; Jiao, F., Emerging electrochemical processes to decarbonize the chemical industry. JACS Au 2022, 2 (5), 1054-1070.
2. Xia, R.; Zhang, S.; Ma, X.; Jiao, F., Surface-functionalized palladium catalysts for electrochemical CO₂ reduction. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2020, 8 (31), 15884-15890.
3. Xia, R.; Lv, J.-J.; Ma, X.; Jiao, F., Enhanced multi-carbon selectivity via CO electroreduction approach. J. Catal. 2021, 398, 185-191.
4. Xia, R.; Wang, R.; Hasa, B.; Lee, A.; Liu, Y.; Ma, X.; Jiao, F., Electrosynthesis of Ethylene Glycol from C₁ Feedstocks in a Flow Electrolyzer. Nat Commun 2023, 14, 4570.
5. Xia, R.; Tian, D.; Kattel, S.; Hasa, B.; Shin, H.; Ma, X.; Chen, J. G.; Jiao, F., Electrochemical reduction of acetonitrile to ethylamine. Nat. Commun. 2021, 12 (1), 1949.