2014 Spring Meeting & 10th Global Congress on Process Safety

(85e) Electrochemical Processing of Biomass Intermediates to Produce Fuels and Chemicals

Authors

Schaidle, J., National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Fuels and chemicals derived from lignocellulosic biomass provide the best opportunity for a near-term transition from petroleum to renewable feedstocks. Compared to petroleum, biomass-derived intermediates (e.g., aqueous and organic fractions of pyrolysis oil, lignin deconstruction products, crude algal bio-oil) are oxygen-rich and hydrogen-deficient, and therefore need to be upgraded through deoxygenation and/or hydrogen addition to be used as fuels. Current upgrading methods, like vapor phase upgrading and hydrodeoxygenation, produce coke and require excessive amounts of H2, respectively. In both cases, selectivity in terms of either H2 or carbon utilization remains a challenge.

In this work, the potential for an electrochemical upgrading process is investigated as an alternative to current upgrading methods.  Several different electrocatalysts for the hydrogenation and deoxygenation of biomass intermediates have been tested.  Reactions were carried out in a divided H-type electrochemical cell at temperatures below 80 C.  Dilute sulfuric acid was used as catholyte, and a biomass model compound was introduced to probe reduction and deoxygenation reactions.  Phosphate buffer was used as anolyte, and a Nafion 117 membrane divided the cell.  Both potential sweep and galvanostatic experiments were performed.  Reaction products have been identified and quantified using GC/MS.  Current efficiencies will be presented, and the potential of a low-temperature electrochemical upgrading process will be discussed.