Electrolysis of lignin for production of chemicals and hydrogen

Abstract

Lignin electrolysis offers the possibility of cogenerating valuable aromatic compounds and green H2 under mild conditions and with a lower energy cost than traditional water electrolysis. In recent years, significant progress has been accomplished towards this objective through the development of active electrocatalysts and the engineering of cell configuration. This short review gives an overview of the anode materials and cells investigated in acidic and alkaline conditions, below and above 100 °C and summarizes the main bottlenecks which remain to be addressed. Low-temperature electrolyzers could be integrated in biorefineries to convert lignin into higher-value industrial chemicals with co-generation of hydrogen.