Electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide from oxygen in a gas-diffusion electrode in solutions of mineralized exometabolites

Abstract

The electrosynthesis of H 2 O 2 in aqueous solutions (pH 1–9) of mineralized liquid and solid bio-wastes (exometabolites) for their processing in closed life-support systems was studied. It was shown that H 2 O 2 can be obtained in these solutions by electrochemical reduction of oxygen in carbon black gas diffuse electrodes to concentrations of over 2 M with current efficiency 80%. The composition of the solution was found to affect the accumulation of H 2 O 2 during the synthesis. The solutions can be concentrated further to 19 M H 2 O 2 . The results showed that the electrolytic method is promising for preparing H 2 O 2 for closed life-support systems.