Electrosynthesis of value-added chemicals: Challenges from laboratory research to industrial application

Electrochemical synthesis of value-added chemicals represents a promising approach to address multidisciplinary demands. Unlike traditional energy-intensive processes that require high temperatures and pressures, this method uses electrochemical systems to convert natural raw materials like H₂O, CO₂, N₂, and O₂ into high-quality products such as fuels, fine chemicals, and specialty materials under mild conditions. This technology establishes direct pathways for electricity-to-chemical conversion while significantly reducing the carbon footprint of chemical manufacturing. It simultaneously optimizes chemical energy storage and grid management, offering sustainable solutions for renewable energy utilization and overcoming geographical constraints in energy distribution. As a critical nexus between renewable energy and green chemistry, electrochemical synthesis serves dual roles in energy transformation and chemical production, emerging as a vital component in developing carbon-neutral circular economies.

Recently, a research team led by Prof. Zhen Zhou from Zhengzhou University focused on the fundamental scientific challenges and practical obstacles in the electro-synthetic process of value-added chemicals, and discussed the challenges and development opportunities in the transformation process from laboratory innovation to large-scale industrial application. The results were published in Chinese Journal of Catalysis. (10.1016/S1872-2067(25)64708-5)

This paper explores the application of electrocatalytic small molecule conversion technology in sustainable energy conversion and storage. It briefly analyzes the technical pathways, advantages, and economic evaluations for electrolytic hydrogen production, hydrocarbon fuel synthesis, ammonia synthesis, and hydrogen peroxide preparation. Addressing current technical bottlenecks, this comment summarizes laboratory-stage efficiency improvement strategies, covering key areas such as AI-driven intelligent catalyst screening, in-situ dynamic monitoring of electrochemical reactions, membrane-electrode interface engineering optimization, enhanced mass transfer design, and anode reaction energy efficiency regulation, along with their associated implementation challenges.

Focusing further on the leapfrog advancement of electrosynthesis technology from laboratory to industrialization, this comment emphasizes that industrial-grade applications require critical breakthroughs in three major dimensions: device performance, operational longevity, and cost control. Concurrently, these applications face new challenges including modular system integration, heat-mass coupling management, intelligent control system development, dynamic power supply configuration, and material separation arising from scale-up.

To address these challenges, it is imperative to foster collaborative innovation among materials science, reaction engineering, and digital intelligence. This collaboration aims to overcome full-chain technical bottlenecks, ranging from molecular-scale reaction mechanisms to industrial-level system engineering. Simultaneously, there is a need to conceive a model for the deep integration of electrochemical technology and energy infrastructure.

About the Journal

Chinese Journal of Catalysis is co-sponsored by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Chemical Society, and it is currently published by Elsevier group. This monthly journal publishes in English timely contributions of original and rigorously reviewed manuscripts covering all areas of catalysis. The journal publishes Reviews, Accounts, Communications, Articles, Highlights, Perspectives, and Viewpoints of highly scientific values that help understanding and defining of new concepts in both fundamental issues and practical applications of catalysis. Chinese Journal of Catalysis ranks among the top one journals in Applied Chemistry with a current SCI impact factor of 15.7. The Editors-in-Chief are Profs. Can Li and Tao Zhang.

At Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/chinese-journal-of-catalysis

Manuscript submission https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/cjcatal