Hydrogenation, without H2(g)

Abstract

Industrial hydrogenation requires high temperatures and high pressures of H2(g), which is sourced from fossil fuels. Membrane reactors enable hydrogenation reactions to occur at ambient conditions by sourcing hydrogen from water instead of H2(g). The reactor operates by separating the electrochemical generation of protons in water from the hydrogenation of unsaturated chemicals in the adjacent hydrogenation compartment. These two compartments are separated by a palladium foil that acts as a cathode, a membrane, and a catalyst. This presentation will summarize our work demonstrating a wide range of substrates that can be hydrogenated upon control of the use of different solvents, electrolytes, current densities, and catalysts. I will highlight the potential to hydrogenate substrates in our reactor that are of consequence to a future renewable energy infrastructure. Figure 1