Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1002/cssc.70753 |
Licence ![]() |
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| Title (Primary) | The concentration determines reaction efficiency of hetero-coupling of bio-based medium chain carboxylic acids by kolbe electrolysis |
| Author | Pohl, M.; Röhring, K.; Chávez Morejón, M.; Harnisch, F.
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| Source Titel | ChemSusChem |
| Year | 2026 |
| Department | MIBITECH |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 10 |
| Page From | e70753 |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T7 Bioeconomy |
| Supplements | Supplement 1 |
| Abstract | Mixtures of seven n-carboxylic acids (n-CA), ranging from acetic acid to n-octanoic acid, that can be gained from the microbial conversion of waste biomass, were converted into liquid drop-in fuel via Kolbe electrolysis. We demonstrate a strong, sigmoidal correlation between the total n-CA concentration and the Coulombic efficiency for fuel-like liquid products (CEfuel). Crucially, only above an apparent threshold concentration of 0.1 mol L−1 n-CA, Kolbe electrolysis takes place, whereas at lower concentrations the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) dominates. Optimal performance was achieved at the highest concentration tested, 1.5 mol L−1, yielding a maximum CEfuel of 63.8 ± 1.4%, whereas for n-CA to 0.1 mol L−1 and 0.5 mol L−1, the chain shortening reaction (CSR) strongly affects CEfuel. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights into reaction selectivity, demonstrating that longer-chain n-CA react preferentially compared to shorter-chain n-CA, a phenomenon that is attributed to their higher hydrophobicity and hence accumulation in the hydrophobic layer formed on the electrode. Using a one-chamber cell system at optimized concentration significantly lowered energy demand to 2.92 ± 0.04 kWhL−1 of fuel produced, representing a 40% reduction compared to similar two-chamber setups. |
| Pohl, M., Röhring, K., Chávez Morejón, M., Harnisch, F. (2026): The concentration determines reaction efficiency of hetero-coupling of bio-based medium chain carboxylic acids by kolbe electrolysis ChemSusChem 19 (10), e70753 10.1002/cssc.70753 |
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