Source publication date
Mainz team turns biodiesel by-product glycerin into formic acid and hydrogen via hybrid electrolysis
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have developed a new "hybrid electrolysis" process that converts glycerin — generated in large volumes as a by-product of biodiesel production — into two valuable raw materials: formic acid and hydrogen, with results published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials. Unlike conventional water electrolysis, the process uses glycerin as a feedstock alongside water, so that instead of oxygen the anode product is formic acid, a versatile chemical industry feedstock that today is mostly produced from fossil sources. The process also yields hydrogen, which can serve as an energy carrier. Study leader Prof. Dr. Carsten Streb (JGU Department of Chemistry) said the approach can make an important contribution to electrifying the chemical industry, a transformation companies are currently pursuing at scale to cut CO2 emissions.