Boosting green hydrogen production by the electrooxidation of glycerol. Minimizing the use of Platinum Group Metals elements

• Grant number: 23/02929-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Pablo Sebastián Fernández
• Grantee: Pablo Sebastián Fernández
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Campinas
• Associated researchers: Ariane Schmidt dos Santos

Abstract

Increasing energy demands in recent decades force us to search for more sustainable ways for energy production. In this context, green hydrogen is a key energy vector to succeed in the energy transition. The cost-effective production of green hydrogen has still some challenges, being one of the most important to speed up the electro-oxidation of water in electrolyzers. Despite enormous efforts in the last decades, this reaction remains as a bottleneck for the entire process.Thus, an interesting approach to overcome this problem is to substitute the electro-oxidation of water with the electro-oxidation of organic molecules, where the organic oxidation occurs much faster on several catalysts. It is an even more interesting option if the organic is a biomass-derived resource that can produce value-added products through oxidation, for instance, glycerol.It is well-known that alcohols and polyols are oxidized on Pt-based materials in alkaline media at much lower potentials than water in Ir-based catalysts. However, as Pt is an expensive element, catalysts based on this material must be stable and content as low amount of Pt as possible. Therefore, we propose to mitigate this problem by preparing two kinds of materials able to minimize the use of noble metals, i.e., i) exsolved Pt nanoparticles (NPs) from perovskite oxides (PO) and ii) Ag or Ni modified at the surface by small quantities of Pt.Herein, we will study the electrochemical exsolution of Pt NPs from PO using several ex situ and in situ techniques. Afterwards, we will investigate the activity and selectivity of the two kinds of materials for the electro-oxidation of glycerol in conventional three-electrode electrochemical cells. Finally, the more promising catalysts in terms of activity and selectivity will be used in an Anionic Exchange Membrane electrolyzer. Primarily, for the PO, we will optimize the exsolution process in the device. Subsequently, we will use it to produce green hydrogen and glycerol oxidation products. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LOPES, ERIC F.; COSTA E SILVA, RODRIGO; SOUZA, RAFAEL A. C.; FERNANDEZ, PABLO SEBASTIAN; PASTRE, JULIO CEZAR. Stereoselective Electrochemical Synthesis of E-Tetrasubstituted Haloalkenyl Chalcogenides. CHEMISTRY-AN ASIAN JOURNAL, v. N/A, p. 8-pg., 2024-10-31. (23/07466-7, 23/02929-9, 23/01930-3, 21/06661-5, 17/11986-5)

LIZ, NAHYAN T. P.; RAJU, SWATHI P.; FERNANDEZ, PABLO S.; SABADINI, EDVALDO. Responsive wormlike micelles based on aspirin's reaction with hydroxylamine. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, v. 695, p. 9-pg., 2025-10-01. (21/12071-6, 15/25406-5, 17/11986-5, 20/04431-0, 23/02929-9, 23/02033-5)

EDGINGTON, JANE; VICENTE, RAFAEL; VISPUTE, SEJAL; LI, RUIHAN; SWEERS, MATTHEW E.; SULLIVAN, SIMONE R.; FERNANDEZ, PABLO S.; SEITZ, LINSEY C.. Dynamics of Highly Active Ln₃IrO₇ Catalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Acid. ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS, v. N/A, p. 12-pg., 2024-08-29. (17/26105-4, 23/02929-9, 21/02678-0)

HESSEL, CRISTIAN; MORETI, LAUREN; YUKUHIRO, VICTOR YOITI; FERNANDEZ, PABLO S.; SITTA, ELTON. Methanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerol photoelectrochemical oxidation reactions on BiVO₄: Zr,Mo/Pt thin films: A comparative study. Electrochimica Acta, v. 509, p. 8-pg., 2025-01-01. (13/07296-2, 23/02929-9, 22/02300-0, 17/11986-5)

YUKUHIRO, VICTOR Y.; GIBSON, ALAN J.; SITTA, ELTON; CUESTA, ANGEL; FERNANDEZ, PABLO S.. Effect of cations on the electro-oxidation of alcohols and polyols on Pt: Activity, selectivity, and mechanistic insights. CURRENT OPINION IN ELECTROCHEMISTRY, v. 52, p. 8-pg., 2025-08-01. (20/04431-0, 23/02929-9, 13/07296-2, 17/11986-5)

DA SILVA, BRUNO L.; CARMINATI, SAULO A.; SOUZA, MATHEUS B. C.; SOARES, LEONARDO C.; LONGO, CLAUDIA; FERNANDEZ, PABLO S.; NOGUEIRA, ANA F.. Photoelectrochemical conversion of glycerol aqueous solution to value-added chemicals using Bi₂Fe₄O₉ as a photoanode. SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS, v. 7, n. 23, p. 11-pg., 2023-10-18. (23/02929-9, 17/11986-5, 20/04431-0)