Principle of hydrogen production by electrocatalytic oxidation of organic compounds in a proton exchange membrane electrolysis cell
Abstract This chapter introduces the principle of electroreforming of organic compounds in a proton exchange membrane electrolysis cell for the production of clean hydrogen. It starts by comparing the reaction involved at the anode and cathode of a water electrolysis cell and of an oxygenated organic compound electrolysis cell. It then describes the thermodynamics of the systems and calculates the thermodynamic data associated with the reactions involved at the electrodes under standard conditions (DH0 and DG0) Then it discusses the kinetics limitations for the reactions at both electrodes and establishes the expressions of the cell voltage during operation, as well as the relation between the current and the rate of hydrogen production. Then, it proposes a method for the analysis of the cell voltage versus current characteristics and the determination of energy efficiency.