Themed collection Advances in Electrosynthesis for a Greener Chemical Industry

This themed collection gathers together articles on advances in electrosynthesis for a greener chemical industry.

Rethinking nitration: sustainable electrochemical C-N functionalization. This work reviews diverse inorganic nitrogen sources for fine chemical production, with a perspective on innovative pathways to harness alternative nitrogen sources' potential.

The HCO₃⁻-HCO₂⁻ cycle, where aqueous solutions of formate salts are hydrogen and energy carriers, offers the opportunity of combining electrochemical and thermochemical operations, and of coupling CO₂ capture with energy/hydrogen storage.

Electrochemical CO₂ reduction using metal nanoclusters has attracted much attention because it can convert CO₂ into several organic compounds using renewable energy sources.

The mechanism, substrate transformation, photoelectrodes, and configurations of photoelectrochemistry (PEC) of biomass are reviewed, different from PEC water splitting, photocatalysis, or electrocatalysis.

We review the synthesis, structure and electrochemical applications of 2D nanomaterials, with particular emphasis on the relationship between their structure and catalytic activity.

We summarize the direct utilization of versatile waste sources in various electrocatalysis and energy storage systems in view of synthetic strategies, structural properties, electrochemical performance and the challenges and prospects.

Schematic illustration of interface/surface engineering strategies with various effective approaches for high-performance HER/OER electrocatalysts in seawater.

The production of fertilisers and food components (carbohydrates, proteins) from the air in artificial-tree-like devices is analysed, focusing on electrosynthesis.

Polymer chains endow PILs with unique aggregation structures and morphologies that are inaccessible to monomeric ILs, making them a sustainable material and allowing them to be used in various applications.

The electrochemical upcycling of plastic waste offers a more efficient and safer means to produce value-added products under mild conditions.

A schematic diagram of a coupled electrolysis system of alternative anodic reactions and CO₂RR.

This review overviews recent advances of the utilization of lignin-based/-derived macromolecules as key components of electrochemical energy storage devices. An outlook on future directions in this rapidly developing field is also envisioned.

We report an electrochemical system for selective deconstruction and re-manufacture of epoxy-carbon fiber composite using a Kolbe-like mechanism for generating methyl radicals from CH₃COOH. These cleave C–N bonds via hydrogen atom abstraction.

A solvent-controlled electrochemical method for the preparation of commercial herbicide safener mefenpyr-diethyl is established, demonstrating its application potential from screening to hectogram scale.

We present an approach based on segregation-less Pd₁Ag₁ alloy nanoparticles (NPs) for the electro-reforming of waste PET into glycolate C₂ products with high selectivity (97%) and long-term stability (>500 h).

CO₂ electroreduction and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural electrooxidation were coupled together over Cu base nanoflower catalyst and faradaic efficiency of FDCA and C₂H₄ reached to 96.6% and 74.5% respectively at a cell voltage of 2.75 V.

We show that adipic acid (AA), a major building block for polyamides like Nylon-6,6, can be synthesized from lignin-derived feedstock by combining electrochemical hydrogenation with biotransformation.

This work investigates the degradation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in an alkaline electrolyte, enabling “indirect” electrooxidation of HMF at unprecedentedly high substrate and base concentrations at improved atom economy.

AuCuB-400 exhibited superior FE_CO. Operando electrochemical Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations revealed that incorporating B could tune the electronic structure of AuCu to promote the adsorption of CO intermediates, thus facilitating the conversion of CO₂ to CO.

The optimal Cu oxidation state during CO₂ reduction is stabilized and identified by applying a pulsed potential, which shows a C₂₊ FE of 70.3% with a current density of 24.1 mA cm⁻² in an H-type cell.

The electrochemical hydrogenation of cis,cis-muconic acid yields adipic acid on palladium terrace sites, while unsaturated hexenedioic acids are formed on undercoordinated step sites.

The electrochemical selective oxidative transformation of lignin feedstocks into valuable oxygenated aromatics is essential to establish a sustainable biorefinery.

The employment of EAOP using a continuous flow microreactor for efficient lignin depolymerization under ambient conditions.

Copper nanoparticles deposited on the surface of TiO₂ with dominant (101) facet exposure show an exaggerated enhancement in ammonia production compared to the TiO₂ with dominant (001) facet exposure.

We explain the intricate interplay between electronic properties and reactivity during the electrochemical hydrogenation of biobased unsaturated (di)acids under acidic and neutral conditions.

A mild solvothermal synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) from birch leaves is reported. The CDs feature a high quantum yield of 26% in ethanol, and deliver deep-red, narrowband emission (λ_peak = 675 nm, FWHM = 29 nm) in a light-emitting device.

The electrochemical reductive cleavage of the C–O bond in the lignin α-O-4 model compound benzyl phenyl ether (BPE) at room temperature was investigated using earth-abundant nickel as a catalyst in methanol.

Microbial electrochemical cells can effectively treat post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater with the synergistic metabolism of fermentative bacteria and electroactive bacteria while producing H₂ for biocrude upgrading.

We report on a rapid, green, and cost-effective fabrication of nickel(-iron) oxyhydroxides by drop-coating and reconstructing water-soluble nitrate precursors, and their application for the OER and the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF).

Electrode fouling can occur during furfural electroreduction to desired polymer intermediates and fuel additives in acidic electrolytes. The fouled material speciation is potential-dependent and can be mitigated by using lower concentrations of furfural.

The in situ transformation of one-dimensional (1D) Co-based metal–organic framework (Co-MOF) precursors into Co₃S₄/Ni₃S₂ nanotube arrays on nickel foam (NF) was realized by ion exchange and synchronous etching via solvothermal sulfurization.

Metal oxide catalysts’ performance depends on the surface arrangement and coordination of metal cations and oxygen anions on the exposed facets. The primary factor is the difference in HMF adsorption energy on various crystal facets.

An electrochemical method has been developed for the synthesis of γ-keto sulfones with a β-quaternary carbon center through 1,2-C migration mediated by sulfonyl under metal- and oxidant-free conditions.

This study investigates the effects of high current density CO₂ electrolysis on the operation of GDE flow cells. It reports a new method of identifying windows of steady-state operation, complementing GDE optimization from a system-perspective.

A Pb-doped Cu₂O electrocatalyst is designed for highly efficient CO₂ reduction to C₂ products, which shows a C₂₊ FE of 83.9%. Pb can stabilize Cu⁺ and reduce the reaction energy barrier, thereby improving the catalytic performance.

Algal biofuel production via a green bio-electro-Fenton process is a promising alternative to meet global energy demand.

In this work, we describe a composite electrocatalyst for the electrooxidation of ammonia to nitrite and nitrate under ambient conditions as a step towards stable, practical materials for this process.

We present a green and robust wastewater treatment process that can eliminate the risk of oxidant residue while improving the decontamination efficiency by coupling dual-cathode heterogeneous electro-Fenton and UV radiation in tandem.

We present a new route for the electrochemical synthesis of green acrylonitrile using the biogenic amino acid D,L-glutamic acid as a substrate by utilising electro-oxidative decarboxylation and non-Kolbe electrolysis.

This work provides deep insights into the structural changes likely to occur at cathodes under highly reducing conditions, such as HER, CO₂, and N₂ reduction, as well as cathodic electro-conversion in various (organic) electrosynthesis reactions.

We report an electrochemical oxidation strategy to synthesize DMF directly from market-surplus trimethylamine and couple it with hydrogen production. The reaction was achieved in an aqueous medium without any mediator using water as the oxidant.

Hierarchical defective nickel sulfide catalysts enable efficient electro-upcycling of plastic waste to value-added chemicals and hydrogen fuel.

PtRu bimetallic nanoclusters electrodeposited on carbon paper catalysts show highly efficient and uniquely selective electrocatalytic hydrogenation of aromatic rings in benzoic acid derivatives under mild and environmentally-friendly conditions.

We describe the convergent paired electrolysis of methylarene derivatives and 1,4-dicyanoarenes to perform the arylative functionalization of a benzylic C(sp³)–H bond to form 1,1-biarylmethane derivatives.

An electron-bio tandem reactor is assembled with Cu catalysts and microorganisms. Ethylene is produced in the gas phase, and the byproducts such as HCOOH, CO, and H₂ can be recycled as electron donors for acetate biosynthesis via the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway.

In the Cu–Ag bipotentiostatic CO2RR, C₂₊ selectivity was improved to 67.3%, including a 6.5% efficiency towards 1-propanol. The system-controlled CO delivery allowed the determination of the C–C coupling turnover frequency of 0.43 ± 0.06 s⁻¹.

TNT electro-reduction catalysts can be optimized by tuning O* affinity. A partially reduced Fe₂O₃ (0001) surface may deviate from late transition metal scaling behavior, expanding the design space for TNT reduction electrocatalysts.

Defective cobalt oxide hydrate nanosheets with abundant oxygen vacancies and high porosity were fabricated via room-temperature reductive treatments, and they performed well in the electrocatalytic oxidation reaction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

A series of single metal atom catalysts anchored into N-doped carbon nanosheets are evaluated for H₂O₂ electrosynthesis via oxygen reduction. The Cu/NCNSs exhibits the best catalytic performance in alkaline media with nearly 100% H₂O₂ selectivity.

The two-electron (2e⁻) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a green way to produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂).

A hybrid electrolyser using NiCoP as a bifunctional electrode was constructed by coupling xylose oxidation with hydrogen evolution from seawater, aiming to boost the efficiency of seawater electrolysis.

We herein describe a methodology for the production of organoselenium compounds by electrocatalytic difunctionalisation of alkenes.

An electrochemical electrophilic bromination/spirocyclization of N-benzyl-acrylamides to brominated 2-azaspiro[4.5]decanes with 2-bromoethan-1-ol as the brominating reagent has been developed.

The utilization of Pd- and Pt-containing electrocatalysts for the ring-hydrogenation of furfural and related furans to tetrahydrofurans is investigated.

RuS₂@CN-x with exposed (200) facet as a high-performance photocatalyst for selective C–C bond cleavage of biomass coupling with H–O bond cleavage of water to co-produce chemicals and H₂.

Using ball milled CNT catalysts, the electrocatalytic reductive amination of keto acids to amino acids was efficiently conducted. Moderate to high formation rates (up to 180.9 mmol g⁻¹_cat h⁻¹) and Faradaic efficiencies (up to 90%) were achieved.

Three highly crystalline and porous COFs with promising photoredox properties have been prepared. Via a post-sulfurization process, the imine-linked COFs were converted into thiazole-linked COFs, generating a highly conjugated and ultrastable photocatalyst for H₂O₂ production.

A method for direct electrochemical conversion of lignin to short-chain carboxylic acids is developed.

The IL-based electrolysis-deposition method was used to modulate Pb crystal facets (ED-Pb) for enhancing the CO₂RR. ED-Pb-900 shows a formate formation rate of 2067.2 μmol h⁻¹ cm⁻², due to the preferential exposure of Pb(111) and larger ECSA.

Herein, a straightforward route for dual α,β-C(sp³)–H functionalized cyclic N-aryl amines using a combination of electrocatalysis and iron catalysis is disclosed, setting the stage for the challenging multiple site selective C–H functionalization.

A MOF-derived cobalt oxide/nitrogen-doped carbon composite is prepared and it exhibits remarkable performance for chlorine-assisted ethylene oxide production.

The telescoped electrochemical coupling of NH₃ and CO₂ with simple aromatic olefins is described, forming valuable N-heterocycles in an atom-efficient manner with overall yields of up to 91%. The same iodide catalyst is required for both steps.

Under illumination with 450 nm light, porous BiVO₄ photoelectrodes support photoeletrochemical Kolbe coupling with up to near quantitative faradaic efficiency and apparent quantum yield of 12% at applied voltages <2 V.

The primary C₂₊ product of the CO₂RR on the HS-Cu catalyst could be switched from gaseous ethylene to liquid ethanol by directly elevating the CO₂ pressure with FE_ethanol as high as 36.6% at 100 bar CO₂ pressure.

Life cycle assessment as a decision-making tool in R&D of CO₂ conversion technologies. A set of technologies are explored to provide recommendations regarding potential climate impacts. Relevant fundamentals of this type of assessment are provided.