Dehydrogenation system of formic acid combined with electrochemical oxidation of atomic hydrogen permeating through a palladinized Pd sheet electrode

A two-compartment reactor separated by a palladinized Pd sheet electrode wa s used in a new dehydrogenation system which was constructed by combining d ehydrogenation of formic acid without dilution at one side of the palladini zed Pd sheet electrode with electrochemical oxidation of permeated atomic h ydrogen at another side. The increase in oxidation current demonstrated tha t the dehydrogenation system proceeded successfully. From a theoretical ana lysis of time course of the oxidation current for the palladinized Pd sheet electrode, the diffusion coefficient of hydrogen was evaluated, and its Ar rhenius plot was drawn for determining an activation energy for the diffusi on of hydrogen. These values were in good agreement with the previously eva luated ones, suggesting that the permeation process of atomic hydrogen thro ugh the palladinized Pd sheet electrode was rate determining. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-010-9. All rights reserved.