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Rate-Determining Factor of the Performance for Toluene Electrohydrogenation Electrolyzer

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Abstract

The organic hydride of the toluene/methylcyclohexane (TL/MCH) system is one of the best energy carriers for renewable energies. In order to improve the energy conversion efficiency of the toluene hydrogenation process with water splitting, we have proposed the direct TL electrohydrogenation along with the water splitting process using an electrolyzer and have improved its performance. An analysis of the polarizations was essential for further improvement. In this study, the polarization properties of the anode (IrO2-based DSE®) and cathode (PtRu/C) were independently evaluated using a small electrolyzer equipped with a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The cathode polarization was dominated by mass transfer above 100 mA cm−2. On the other hand, the anode polarization was dominated by a charge transfer process on the catalyst.

Tafel plot for the anode (left) and cathode (right) with 10% TL at the operating temperatures from 40 to 80 °C in electrolyzer for direct electrohydrogenation of toluene with water decomposition.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), “energy carrier” (Funding agency: JST). The Institute of Advanced Sciences (IAS) in YNU is supported by the MEXT Program for Promoting the Reform of National Universities. The authors appreciate their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Green Hydrogen Research Center, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, 240-8501, Japan

    Kensaku Nagasawa, Yuki Sawaguchi & Shigenori Mitsushima

  2. De Nora Permelec Limited, 2023-15 Endo, Fujisawa, 252-0816, Japan

    Akihiro Kato & Yoshinori Nishiki

  3. Institute of Advanced Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, 240-8501, Japan

    Shigenori Mitsushima

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  1. Kensaku Nagasawa
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  2. Yuki Sawaguchi
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  3. Akihiro Kato
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  4. Yoshinori Nishiki
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  5. Shigenori Mitsushima
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Correspondence to Kensaku Nagasawa.

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Nagasawa, K., Sawaguchi, Y., Kato, A. et al. Rate-Determining Factor of the Performance for Toluene Electrohydrogenation Electrolyzer. Electrocatalysis 8, 164–169 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-017-0351-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-017-0351-4

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