Boosting the valorization of biomass and green electrons to chemical building blocks: A study on the kinetics and mass transfer during the electrochemical conversion of HMF to FDCA in a microreactor

Electrochemical conversion of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethyl-furfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), the building block bio-based plastics, is an attractive process that leverages renewable electrons and carbon resources. The offers potential increase energy cost efficiency by combining mild reaction conditions with high activity selectivity. This study elucidates mechanism kinetics HMF electrochemical oxidation over Ni(OH)2/NiOOH, their implications on reactor design. studied in a parallel plate microreactor using Ni plates as working counter electrodes. work presents mass transfer characterization thorough parametric study. Nearly complete current are obtained at pH 13, cell 1.7 V, unprecedentedly short residence time <380 s. Taking advantage flow microreactor, transfer- reaction- limited regimes decoupled, kinetic model developed for first literature. model, showing good agreement experimental results, suggested proceeds through adsorption intermediates NiOOH. Finally, effect characteristics evaluated various configurations.