Alternative H₂O₂ Production Processes: An Outlook on Candidate Technologies Beyond the Anthraquinone Process

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Green Chemistry
• Sustainable Manufacturing

Background:

• The established auto-oxidation (AO) process for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production relies on fossil fuels, contributing to a significant climate footprint.
• Current H₂O₂ production methods necessitate sustainable alternatives due to environmental concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze alternative H₂O₂ production methods.
• To identify and discuss the challenges hindering the industrial adoption of these alternative processes.
• To compare alternative H₂O₂ production routes with the established AO process.

Main Methods:

• Overview of alternative H₂O₂ production routes: direct H₂/O₂ reaction, electrochemical, bioelectrochemical, and plasma-based systems.
• Analysis of energetic, techno-economic, life cycle, and safety challenges.
• Comparative assessment against the conventional AO process.

Main Results:

• Alternative H₂O₂ production routes, including direct synthesis and electrochemical methods, are under development.
• Significant energetic, techno-economic, life cycle, and safety challenges impede the industrial scalability of alternative H₂O₂ production methods.
• No current alternative process is a viable competitor to the established AO process.

Conclusions:

• Further research and development are needed to overcome the identified challenges for scaling up alternative H₂O₂ production processes.
• Alternative H₂O₂ production methods may offer advantages for on-demand production, potentially at smaller scales than the AO process.
• Determining the industrial viability of alternative H₂O₂ production requires addressing scalability and economic feasibility.