Electrochemical oxidation of lignin biomass to promote low-cost hydrogen

Lignin is one of the most abundant renewable materials on Earth. Despite representing a significant carbon and energy resource with great potential as a source of aromatic compounds, lignin is often treated as waste in the context of lignocellulosic biomass biorefineries. The electrochemical oxidation of biomass waste (e.g., lignin) from biorefineries and pulping mills represents a potentially renewable development for hydrogen production with the co-generation of valuable marketable chemicals. By using a low-voltage anodic oxidation process, this method might significantly lower the cost of producing hydrogen and industrial, value-added compounds. Biomass compounds such as lignin have primarily been studied electrochemically on costly metal electrodes up to this point. Therefore, non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts, such as Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), etc., were synthesized with a simple innovative method, thoroughly characterized, and tested for the electro-oxidation of Phenol, 4-phenoxy phenol, and lignin. The surface area available for electrochemical reactions is increased by nanoparticle electrocatalysts, which may result in better mass transport of reactants and products across the electrocatalyst layer. Non-precious metal electrocatalysts also enable special alloying and the synergistic interaction of several metals. Our research explores the utilization of non-precious metal nanoparticle electrocatalysts for the electrochemical lignin oxidation approach to promote hydrogen production.