POWER₂HYPE – Electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from water, air and renewable electric energy

Electrochemical production of H₂O₂ – further development in large-scale international project

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is an oxidant widely used in the chemical industry. It is considered environmentally friendly as it releases only water and oxygen upon decomposition. At present, 95 percent of the world’s annual H₂O₂ production of about 5.5 million tons is based on the anthraquinone process – a costly method and impractical for routine on-site application at a small scale. Alternatively, H₂O₂ can be synthesized electrochemically via oxygen (O₂) reduction or water (H₂O) oxidation, which is cost-efficient and applicable on both large and small scales.

Successful anodic oxidation in continuous flow cell

As part of the EU-funded CO₂EXIDE project, researchers at Fraunhofer IGB have already developed a process for two electron (2e^-) H₂O oxidation to H₂O₂. Various carbon-based materials, including carbon paper, boron-doped diamond, and graphite bipolar plate, have been investigated as anodes in the electrochemical synthesis of H₂O₂ at high current densities in a continuous flow. Broad range of operating parameters, including the electrolyte concentration, pH, and the presence of a chemical stabilizer, substantially increases the selectivity towards H₂O₂ generation using optimized parameters.

Further development and demonstration

The new European project POWER₂HYPE, funded through EU’s Horizon Europe program and coordinated by Fraunhofer IGB, aims to establish a sustainable route for H₂O₂ production.

An innovative custom-made electrolyzer will be used to produce H₂O₂ at both the cathode and anode, using air and water as feedstock and renewable energy as the sole energy source. The researchers at Fraunhofer IGB will be working together with the partners to electrochemically produce H₂O₂ in high concentrations (from 20 to 99 wt.%). In this way, electrosynthesized H₂O₂ can be used for a wide range of applications, from sanitation, bleaching, to niche markets such as a propulsion fuel.