Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1002/cssc.70753
Licence creative commons licence
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. ORCID logo
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