Review of the Electrospinning Process and the Electro-Conversion of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into Added-Value Chemicals

Abstract

Electrochemical converters (electrolyzers, fuel cells, and batteries) have gained prominence during the last decade for the unavoidable energy transition and the sustainable synthesis of platform chemicals. One of the key elements of these systems is the electrode material on which the electrochemical reactions occur, and therefore its design will impact their performance. This review focuses on the electrospinning method by examining a number of features of experimental conditions. Electrospinning is a fiber-spinning technology used to produce three-dimensional and ultrafine fibers with tunable diameters and lengths. The thermal treatment and the different analyses are discussed to understand the changes in the polymer to create usable electrode materials. Electrospun fibers have unique properties such as high surface area, high porosity, tunable surface properties, and low cost, among others. Furthermore, a little introduction to the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) electrooxidation coupled to H2 production was included to show the benefit of upgrading biomass derivates in electrolyzers. Indeed, environmental and geopolitical constraints lead to shifts towards organic/inorganic electrosynthesis, which allows for one to dispense with polluting, toxic and expensive reagents. The electrooxidation of HMF instead of water (OER, oxygen evolution reaction) in an electrolyzer can be elegantly controlled to electro-synthesize added-value organic chemicals while lowering the required energy for CO2-free H2 production.

Recent progress, trends, and new challenges in the electrochemical production of green hydrogen coupled to selective electrooxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)

“…Therefore, to ensure high yield and selectivity, pH optimization should be performed. 98 The electrovalorization of HMF has been carried out experimentally, achieving a selectivity towards the production of FDCA of 100% (ref. 99 and 100) or values very close to 100%.…”

Design of three-dimensional electrocatalytic all-in-one electrodes by leveraging electrospinning and calcination approaches

“…S2, ESI†). 7,10,19–26 Fig. 2a also shows that nickel catalyses the polymer degradation where the combustion ends at 420 °C for PAN–Ni (final: 11.7 wt%) in comparison to PAN at 615 °C (final: 0.5 wt%).…”

“…S2). 7,10,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Based on these results, the electrospun mats were stabilized at 290 °C under air and then carbonized at 1000 °C under inert gas (nitrogen) to create electrical conducting carbon electrodes. Fig.…”

Electrospinning of Poly (Acrylamide), Poly (Acrylic Acid) and Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Nanofibers: Characterization and Optimization Study on the Effect of Different Parameters on Mean Diameter Using Taguchi Design of Experiment Method

“…At high speeds of up to thousands of revolutions per minute, the electrospun nanofibers can be oriented circumferentially. In summary, the process consists of three steps: jet initiation and elongation along a straight line; growth of the whip instability and further elongation of the jet, which may or may not be associated with branching of the jet; solidification of the jet into nanofibers [ 10 , 11 ]. …”