Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and 2,5-diformylfuran
Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical cells for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and/or 2,5-diformylfuran are provided. Also provided are methods of using the cells to carry out the electrochemical and photoelectrochemical oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and/or 2,5-diformylfuran.
1. A photoelectrochemical cell comprising:
an anode in a single phase anode electrolyte solution comprising 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; and
a cathode in a cathode electrolyte solution;
wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode is a photoelectrode comprising a semiconductor.
2. The cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode is a photoelectrode comprising a semiconductor.
3. The cell of claim 1 , further comprising a TEMPO mediator immobilized on the anode or dissolved in the single-phase anode electrolyte solution.
4. The cell of claim 3 , wherein the TEMPO mediator is immobilized on the anode.
5. The cell of claim 1 , wherein the single-phase anode electrolyte solution is an aqueous electrolyte solution having a pH of less than 12.
6. The cell of claim 5 , wherein the anode does not comprise platinum, palladium, or gold.
7. The cell of claim 1 , wherein the single-phase anode electrolyte solution is an aqueous electrolyte solution having a pH of no greater than 10.
8. The photoelectrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode is a photoanode comprising n-type BiVO 4 .
9. A photoelectrochemical cell comprising:
a photoanode comprising n-type BiVO 4 in an anode electrolyte solution comprising 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; and
a cathode in a cathode electrolyte solution.
10. An electrochemical cell comprising:
an anode in a single-phase anode electrolyte solution comprising 5-hydroxymethylfurfural;
a TEMPO mediator immobilized on the anode or dissolved in the single-phase anode electrolyte solution; and
a cathode in a cathode electrolyte solution, wherein the cathode is in electrical communication with the anode.
11. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the single-phase anode electrolyte solution is an aqueous electrolyte solution having a pH of less than 12.
12. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the anode does not comprise platinum, palladium, or gold.
13. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the single-phase anode electrolyte solution does not serve as an oxygen donor.
14. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the TEMPO mediator is immobilized on the anode.