Abstract:
A usual fuel cell is a device to generate electricity by electrochemical reduction of O2with H2 to water. It is able to see that the fuel cell is a unique catalytic reactor to produce water without mixing O2 and H2. Of course, production of water has less impact for chemical industry; however, if hydrogen peroxide can be produced instead of water by reduction of O2, the fuel cell reactor will be an excellent catalytic reactor. Hydrogen peroxide is a mainstay chemical in the current chemical industry. The anthraquinone (AQ) process has been used for H2O2 production for the last decades. The AQ process has a sound track record but it is conducted by multi-step operations with a large amount of energy consumption. Therefore, a more efficient and direct production process that would reduce energy consumption and production costs has been desired.
To realize direct and catalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from O2 and H2by the fuel cell reactor without an external source of electricity, new electrocatalysts and cell structures have been developed. There are many advantages of the fuel cell method for synthesis. The primary advantage is reduction of explosion provability because O2 and H2 are separated by electrolyte, cathode and anode membrane. The fuel cell method can apply other attractive catalytic reactions, such as partial oxidation of alkenes, hydrogenation of unsaturated compounds, oxidative carbonylation of alcohols, hydroxylation of benzene and so on.

CV
Prof. ICHIRO YAMANAKA（山中一郎）
Department of Chemistry and Materials Science,
Graduate School of Science and Engineering,
Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S1-16
Ookayama, Meguro-ku. Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
Tel &Fax: +81-3-5734-2144
E-mail: yamanaka@cms.titech.ac.jp

Major Fields: Electrochemistry, Catalysis, Oxidation Chemistry, Green and Sustainable Chemistry.
Research Activities:
  • Study of production of useful chemicals using fuel cell reactions
  • Study of oxidation catalyst for hydrocarbons to useful chemicals
  • Study of new electrocatalysis and oxidation catalysis
Education:
University: 1986, BD., 1988. MD. 1991 PhD, Department of Chemical Engineering,
Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology
   PhD title: Partial oxidation of hydrocarbon by activated oxygen on electrode, Supervisor, Prof. K. Otsuka
Professional Position:
1991 Assist. Prof.Dpt. Chem. Eng., 1997Assoc. Prof.Dpt. Appl. Chem., 2013 Professor,Dpt. Chem. & Mat. Sci., Tokyo Institute of Technology. (1996 PD, Texas A&M. D.H.R Barton).