Electrochemical Biorefinery toward Chemicals Synthesis and Bio-Oil Upgrading from Lignin
Rui Hu,
Yuying Zhao,
Chen Tang,
Yan Shi,
Gang Luo,
Jiajun Fan,
James H. Clark,
Shicheng Zhang
Affiliations
Rui Hu
Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
Yuying Zhao
Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
Chen Tang
Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
Yan Shi
Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
Gang Luo
Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
Jiajun Fan
Circa Renewable Chemistry Institute, Green Chemistry Center of Excellence, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
James H. Clark
Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China; Circa Renewable Chemistry Institute, Green Chemistry Center of Excellence, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
Shicheng Zhang
Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Pollution Control and Resource Utilization of Organic Wastes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China; Corresponding author.
Recalcitrance and the inherent heterogeneity of lignin structure are the major bottlenecks to impede the popularization of lignin-based chemicals production processes. Recent works suggested a promising pathway for lignin depolymerization and lignin-derived bio-oil upgrading via an electrochemical biorefinery (a process in which lignin valorization is performed via electrochemical oxidation or reduction). This review presents the progress on chemicals synthesis and bio-oil upgrading from lignin by an electrochemical biorefinery, relating to the lignin biosynthesis pathway, reaction pathway of lignin electrochemical conversion, inner-sphere and outer-sphere electron transfer mechanism, basic kinetics and thermodynamics in electrochemistry, and the recent embodiments analysis with the emphasis on the respective feature and limitation for lignin electrochemical oxidative and reductive conversion. Lastly, the challenge and perspective associated with lignin electrochemical biorefinery are discussed. Present-day results indicate that more work should be performed to promote efficiency, selectivity, and stability in pursuing a lignin electrochemical biorefinery. One of the most promising developing directions appears to be integrating various types of lignin electrochemical conversion strategies and other existing or evolving lignin valorization technologies. This review aims to provide more references and discussion on the development for lignin electrochemical biorefinery.