Electrosynthesis of ethylene glycol from C1 feedstocks in a flow electrolyzer

Rong Xia, Ruoyu Wang, Bjorn Hasa, Ahryeon Lee, Yuanyue Liu (), Xinbin Ma () and Feng Jiao ()
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Rong Xia: Tianjin University
Ruoyu Wang: The University of Texas at Austin
Bjorn Hasa: University of Delaware
Ahryeon Lee: University of Delaware
Yuanyue Liu: The University of Texas at Austin
Xinbin Ma: Tianjin University
Feng Jiao: University of Delaware

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Ethylene glycol is a widely utilized commodity chemical, the production of which accounts for over 46 million tons of CO2 emission annually. Here we report a paired electrocatalytic approach for ethylene glycol production from methanol. Carbon catalysts are effective in reducing formaldehyde into ethylene glycol with a 92% Faradaic efficiency, whereas Pt catalysts at the anode enable formaldehyde production through methanol partial oxidation with a 75% Faradaic efficiency. With a membrane-electrode assembly configuration, we show the feasibility of ethylene glycol electrosynthesis from methanol in a single electrolyzer. The electrolyzer operates a full cell voltage of 3.2 V at a current density of 100 mA cm−2, with a 60% reduction in energy consumption. Further investigations, using operando flow electrolyzer mass spectroscopy, isotopic labeling, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, indicate that the desorption of a *CH2OH intermediate is the crucial step in determining the selectively towards ethylene glycol over methanol.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40296-9

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