Low-Cost Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution in an Anion Exchange Membrane Lignin Electrolysis Cell

The aim of this study is to quantify the hydrogen production rate in an anion exchange membrane (AEM) lignin electrolysis cell. Two non-precious and nanostructured metal and metal oxide electrocatalysts were developed and used as the anodic catalysts in a lignin electrolysis process. H-2 production rates, energy consumption rates and faradaic efficiency were measured using beta-PbO2/MWNTs and Ni-Co/TiO2 electrocatalysts as the anode, where electrochemical depolymerization of lignin occurs. Our results were then compared with recent efforts for lignin electrolysis in the literature. This work demonstrates that the beta-PbO2/MWNTs nanocomposite is the more stable and active electrocatalyst in this process. At the end, our results showed that using beta-PbO2/MWNTs as the anodic electrocatalyst can enhance lignin oxidation rates, with a corresponding increase in the rate of H-2 production at the cathode. As a result, this can lead to high hydrogen evolution rates (similar to 45.6 mL/h), and increase energy efficiency by 20%, compared to a commercial alkaline water electrolyzer. (C) The Author(s) 2019. Published by ECS.