Electrochemical oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using copper-based anodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019071787-A1
Application number	US-201715695619-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 5, 2017
Priority date	Sep 5, 2017
Publication date	Mar 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Electrochemical cells for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural are provided. Also provided are methods of using the cells to carry out the oxidation reactions. The electrochemical cells and methods use catalytic copper-based anodes to carry out the electrochemical oxidation reactions.

First claim

1 . A method for the electrochemical oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in an electrochemical cell comprising: an anode in an anode electrolyte solution; and a cathode in a cathode electrolyte solution, wherein the anode comprises copper and the anode electrolyte solution comprises the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural makes up at least 50 mol. %, of all aromatic compounds in the anode electrolyte solution before the electrochemical oxidation of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural begins, the method comprising: applying an anode potential to the anode that induces the electrochemical oxidation of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is oxidized to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid is formed at a yield of at least 75%.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid is produced with a Faradaic efficiency of at least 75%.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid is formed at a yield of at least 85%.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid is produced with a Faradaic efficiency of at least 85%.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises copper oxides, copper hydroxides, or a combination of copper oxides and copper hydroxides.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises copper metal and a surface of the copper metal is oxidized to form copper oxides, copper hydroxides, or a combination of copper oxides and copper hydroxides by applying an anode potential to the anode before or during the electrochemical oxidation of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a copper compound and a surface of the copper compound is oxidized to form copper oxides, copper hydroxides, or a combination of copper oxides and copper hydroxides by applying an anode potential to the anode before or during the electrochemical oxidation of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the copper compound is a copper sulfide, a copper selenide, a copper telluride, a copper phosphide, or a combination of two or more thereof.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, in addition to the copper, the anode comprises at least one additional metal element.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one additional metal element is nickel, cobalt, tin, silver, indium, or a combination of two or more thereof.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises at least one non-metal element.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one additional non-metal element is oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, phosphorus, nitrogen, a halogen, or a combination of two or more thereof.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode electrolyte solution has a pH of no greater than 13.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode is a copper foil, a copper mesh, a copper foam, or a copper plate.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode is nanostructured.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the anode comprises a nanocrystalline copper having a foam structure.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural makes up at least 70 mol. %, of all aromatic compounds in the anode electrolyte solution before the electrochemical oxidation of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural begins.

20 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Wisconsin Alumni Res Found

Inventors

• Choi Kyoung-Shin
• Nam Dohwan

Classifications

• C25B11/0431

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B9/06

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B3/02

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B11/0415 Primary

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B11/035

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic