Electrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide by reduction of oxygen.

Abstract

The method for producing a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide by reduction of oxygen was examined. In preliminary experiments with an H-type dual-compartment reactor, the most suitable conditions were determined to be as follows. The reaction temperature was 288 K, the cathode graphite, the anode nickel, the catholyte 1 mol•dm-3 KCl plus 0.01 mol•dm-3 NaOH solution and the anolyte 1 mol•dm-3 NaOH solution. In the packedbed electrode reactor with graphite particles, the rate and the current efficiency of producing hydrogen peroxide were dependent on the initial bed overpotential, the liquid velocity in the reactor and the oxygen flow rate in the catholyte tank. The production rate of hydrogen peroxide at an initial bed overpotential of - 0.4 V was clarified by the model analysis under the limiting current condition.