Synthesis of peroxyacetic acid using in situ electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide on gas diffusion electrode

Abstract

Peroxyacetic acid (PAA) has been first prepared from acetic acid in the presence of solid superacid, Nafion-H, as a catalyst at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure using gas diffusion electrode (GDE) as an oxygen cathode. Hydrogen peroxide was electrogenerated by the reduction of oxygen on the GDE and PAA could be produced by a redox reaction between electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. The continuous operation was carried out to examine the electrolysis performance of the present electrolysis system. The results demonstrate that the system can be continuously operated over one month with the production of PAA of ca. 1.9–2.3 mM.