# US 2018/0023199 A1 · Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and biomass upgrading > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023199 A1 - Document ID: US20180023199A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/650,884 - Filed: 2017-07-15 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Utah State University - Inventors: Yujie Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023199A1 ## CPC - C25B 1/02: Hydrogen or oxygen - C07C 31/08: Ethanol - C07C 33/22: Benzylalcohol; phenethyl alcohol - C07D 307/48: Furfural - H01M 4/58: of inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy; of polyanionic structures, e.g. phosphates, silicates or borates - H01M 4/5805: {Phosphides} - H01M 4/5815: {Sulfides} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B) - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS - C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Disclosed are systems for producing hydrogen gas and upgrading biomass reactants. The systems are able to couple the oxidation of the biomass reactant to hydrogen gas evolution using catalysts that include a metal component and a non-metal component. Also disclosed are methods of using the systems for producing hydrogen gas and upgrading a biomass reactant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for producing hydrogen gas and upgrading a biomass reactant, the system comprising: an anode compartment comprising an anode, and an anode solution comprising water, a first electrolyte, and an alcohol or an aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass; and a cathode compartment comprising a cathode, and a cathode solution comprising water and a second electrolyte; wherein the anode and the cathode each independently comprise a catalyst loaded onto a conductive substrate, the catalyst having a metal component and a non-metal component, wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, copper, manganese and a combination thereof; and the non-metal component is selected from the group consisting of phosphorous, sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and a combination thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of cobalt phosphide, nickel phosphide, cobalt sulfide, nickel sulfide, nickel nitride, cobalt oxide, nickel oxide, and a combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive substrate is selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, stainless steel, glassy carbon, nickel foam, stainless steel foam, titanium, fluorine-doped tin oxide, indium-doped tin oxide, and a combination thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cathode and the anode each include the same catalyst and conductive substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrolyte each independently comprise potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium perchlorate, borate buffer, phosphate buffer, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrolyte are each independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 M to about 5 M. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 100 mM. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is selected from the group consisting of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), 3-hydroxypropionic acid, glycerol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactic acid, ethanol, butanol, benzyl alcohol, furfural, arabinitol, xylose, methanol, cinnamaldehyde, and a combination thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is selected from the group consisting of HMF, ethanol, benzyl alcohol, furfural and a combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a reference electrode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a separator between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method for producing hydrogen gas and upgrading a biomass reactant, the method comprising: applying a voltage to the cathode and the anode of the system of claim 1, whereupon applying the voltage, the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is oxidized in the anode compartment to form an aldehyde or a carboxylic acid biomass product and H+is reduced in the cathode compartment to provide hydrogen gas. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the applied voltage is less than or equal to 2 V. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the applied voltage provides a current density of from about 10 mA/cm2 to about 100 mA/cm2. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the Faradaic efficiency of providing the hydrogen gas is greater than or equal to 95%. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the Faradaic efficiency of providing the aldehyde or the carboxylic acid biomass product is greater than or equal to 95%. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the anode and cathode solution each independently have a pH of from about 5 to about 9. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the anode and cathode solution each independently have a temperature of from about 15° C. to about 30° C. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass and the aldehyde or the carboxylic acid biomass product are selected from one of the following: the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is HMF and the aldehyde or the carboxylic acid biomass product is 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA); the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is ethanol and the aldehyde or the carboxylic acid biomass product is acetic acid; the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is benzyl alcohol and the aldehyde or the carboxylic acid biomass product is benzoic acid; the alcohol or the aldehyde derived from a lignocellulosic biomass is furfural and the aldehyde or the carboxylic acid biomass product is furoic acid; and a combination thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising separating the hydrogen gas from the cathode compartment and the aldehyde or the carboxylic acid biomass product from the anode compartment.