Tuning the Tin Oxide-Carbon Composite Support to Deposit Rh Nanoparticles for Glycerol-to-Carbonate Electro-Conversion

Abstract

The glycerol electrooxidation reaction (GEOR) has been herein investigated on Rh/C and Rh/SnO2-C prepared by polyol method. The particle mean sizes were found to be 2.0 and 1.8 nm in Rh/C and Rh/SnO2-C, respectively. The alloying degree reached 63% in Rh/SnO2-C, confirming a Sn-Rh alloy formation. The activity towards GEOR on Rh/SnO2-C was almost five-fold that of Rh/C, as demonstrated by electrochemical measurements in alkaline medium. This trend indicated the beneficial effect of the SnO2-C carbon-oxide composite support in the catalyst composition. Analysis of the products generated after the bulk electrolysis using high-performance liquid chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that at 0.55 V vs. RHE the main reaction products were glycerate ion and carbonate (CO32-). Then, a C-C-C cleavage was demonstrated with the CO32- formation at low potentials. During the testing conducted in a home-made acrylic direct glycerol fuel cell at room temperature in 0.5 mol L-1 NaOH, the maximum power density (390 µW cm-2) obtained on a Rh/SnO2 anode, was five-fold that of Pd/C. These testings demonstrated that the co-generation of sustainable energy and value-added products is a promising way to valorize glycerol.

Selective Glycerol‐to‐glycerate Electro‐oxidation on Cerium‐modified Pt/C Nanocatalyst in an Alkaline Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell: Cogeneration of Energy and Value‐added Products

“…Figure 4b depicts the measured single potentials for the cathode and anode during the cell operation (Figures S9, S10and S11). The PdFe/C cathode did not limit the cell operation; in fact, it was relatively stable during operation for 4 h, as reported recently [51]. Concerning the ORR at the PdFe/C electrocatalyst, the potential shifted slightly as a function of the cell operation (ΔĒ CATHODE = 32 mV).…”

“…The PdFe/C cathode did not limit the cell operation; in fact, it was relatively stable during operation for 4 h, as reported recently. [51] Concerning the ORR at the PdFe/C electrocatalyst, the potential shifted slightly as a function of the cell operation (ΔĒ CATHODE = 32 mV). On the other hand, the GOR deactivated the cell in the case of both electrocatalysts.…”

The Biosynthesis of Liquid Fuels and Other Value-Added Products Based on Waste Glycerol—A Comprehensive Review and Bibliometric Analysis

“…Crude glycerine is also applied as an additive to low-boiling coolants and brake fluids [41] and its use as a component of heavier fuels is also becoming increasingly popular [42]. Waste glycerol can also be processed by thermochemical conversion [43], oxidation [44], hydrogenolysis [45], aqueous phase reforming [46], electroconversion [47] and thermal catalysis [48] to obtain economically valuable products. Some of these isolated technologies overlap to a certain extent, as the definitions of the processes are very broad, e.g., thermochemical conversion or thermal catalysis [23].…”