10.57647/j.jtap.2025.1902.23

Synthesis of formic acid using anodic plasma electrolysis

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  • Triana Devi Sijabat1,
  • Nelson Saksono*1,
  • Bening Farawan2,
  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia.
  2. Department of Research and Innovation Infrastructure-BRIN, Cibinong, Indonesia.

Received: 2025-01-02

Revised: 2025-03-11

Accepted: 2025-04-06

Published 2025-04-10

Copyright (c) 2025 Triana Devi Sijabat, Nelson Saksono, Bening Farawan (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

1.
Sijabat TD, Saksono N, Farawan B. Synthesis of formic acid using anodic plasma electrolysis. J Theor Appl phys. 2025 Apr. 10;19(2 (April 2025):1-10. Available from: https://oiccpress.com/jtap/article/view/16593
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Abstract

Anodic plasma electrolysis, an advanced oxidation process (AOP), is an alternative method for synthesizing
formic acid through the oxidation of methanol, known for producing a high amount of hydroxyl radicals
(OH•). This study aims to synthesize formic acid using anodic plasma electrolysis at a high power setting
of 500 W. In addition, it seeks to determine the effects of applied voltage and air injection flow rates on the
formation of formic acid from methanol and ethanol feedstocks. The experimental setup involved injecting
air through a cathode pipe into the anodic plasma zone in a Na2SO4 electrolyte solution. The process was
conducted in a 1.2-L batch reactor, varying the voltage and air injection flow rates, using methanol and ethanol
as feed materials. The highest yield of formic acid was 5.077 mmol from methanol oxidation and 7.268 mmol
from ethanol oxidation after 45 minutes of reaction time. Optimal results were achieved at an applied voltage
of 680 V, an air injection flow rate of 0.8 Lpm (L/min), a fixed power of 500 W, and a feed concentration of
2% v/v. The primary by-product identified was nitrate (NO−3 ), with 2.093 mmol generated from methanol
oxidation and 2.281 mmol from ethanol oxidation. In addition, the morphology of the eroded stainless steel
electrode revealed a mushroom-like shape with a rough and porous surface.

Keywords

  • Anodic plasma electrolysis,
  • Formic acid,
  • Methanol,
  • Air injection,
  • Radical OH
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