Projecttitel: Electrochemical Hydrogen Peroxide (EHP) production
Projectnummer: BBE-1803
Looptijd: 2018 – 2021
Budget publiek: € 119.000
Budget privaat: € 33.000
Projectleider: Arend Zomer
Betrokken partijen: AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, University of Twente,

Hydrogen peroxide is considered an important environmental friendly oxidant that is frequently employed in biomaterial processing. Compared to the currently employed anthraquinone process, electrochemical hydrogen peroxide production provides substantial advantages, such as the ability for decentralized production, and a reduced dependence on fossil resources. The cathodic reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide is frequently studied, and various electrode materials exist that provide electrochemical selectivity for hydrogen peroxide. So far anodic hydrogen peroxide production received little attention. Anodic hydrogen peroxide production from water is attractive for simplicity of operation (only liquid phase reactant), while a value added product (hydrogen) is formed simultaneously. Enabling selective water oxidation to hydrogen peroxide will allow for the development of an economically viable process, and will be beneficial for the implementation of renewable hydrogen produced by electrolysis. Thus, in this project we are aiming for the development of applicable electrode materials for electrochemical and selective water oxidation. In particular Bi-based semiconductors will be investigated and different reactor geometries tested, to optimize hydrogen peroxide production. This project will help to implement green hydrogen peroxide into the value-chain, and to reduce the carbon fingerprint of biomaterial processing.