Analysis of Electrochemical Conversion of Lignin Model Compounds

Abstract

Electrochemical conversion of biomass like lignin to generate value-added products is interesting, but has not been commercialized to date. One barrier to a viable industrial process is understanding the reaction mechanism. The mechanism is difficult to elucidate because lignin is a complex biopolymer, and conversion results in a wide range of products. Simpler compounds that have similar bonds to lignin have been used to better understand the mechanism controlling electrochemical conversion. In this seminar, we will present results from our efforts investigating electrochemical conversion of lignin model compounds on NiCo electrocatalysts. As part of this effort, we have employed statistical analysis to understand the changes imposed on the lignin model compound during electrochemical oxidation. We will present our analytical results and discuss the implications for understanding the primary electrochemical conversion mechanism.