Direct electrolysis of lignin in a continuous-flow Polymer Electrolyte Membrane reactor
Résumé
To this date it is well known that H2 is an excellent energy carrier, which is expected to play a key role in near-future energy systems. Water electrolysis has gained much attention lately, since it allows to produce pure H2 quick and conveniently. Its main drawback is related to its high electrical energy requirements, which makes the process economically unattractive . In this sense, the electrolysis of organic molecules (methanol, ethanol, bioethanol, etc.) allows to produce pure H2 with much lower power demands. Lignin is one of the most abundant bio-polymers in nature. Nowadays, about 50 million tons of lignin are produced annually as a waste stream of the Kraft pulping industry for cellulose production . In this study we propose, for the very first time in literature, to perform the direct electrolysis of lignin-based solutions in PEM reactors under continuous operation mode to produce pure H2.