A membraneless electrolyzer for electrochemical hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline with water as the proton source

Objective

The ongoing green transition requires the replacement of carbon-intensive chemical processes with green alternatives. One such important process is hydrogenation, which is involved in more than 70% of fine chemical production processes. Hydrogenation is the addition of hydrogen to unsaturated organic compounds, a process that has been traditionally carbon-intensive due to the use of fossil-fuel-derived hydrogen. As a green alternative, renewable-powered electrochemical hydrogenation or electrohydrogenation, where hydrogen is sourced directly from water as protons, offers a solution that not only eliminates the CO2 emissions, but also comes with economic and logistical advantages. The MemFreeElectro project addresses these opportunities by proposing a novel membraneless electrochemical cell or electrolyzer for electrohydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline as the present case study. The proposed electrolyzer design is based on a membraneless design concept that solves the problem of membrane-reaction system incompatibility, in electrohydrogenation with common membrane/separator-based designs. Additionally, the membraneless design also has lower capital and operational expenditures. In this project, a novel membraneless electrohydrogenation electrolyzer design will be established, from the proof-of-concept to a 50 cm² lab-scale prototype, followed by a technoeconomic assessment. This interdisciplinary project combines electro-organic synthesis, reactor design, and process engineering to establish a scalable and green electrohydrogenation process technology, that can be adapted to other important electrochemical processes. Thus, the MemFreeElectro project falls in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 i.e. Climate Action, also contributing to EU’s scientific excellence. The project will also have a significant impact on my career, enabling me to develop highly important technical as well as management, leadership, and valorization related skills.