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7906070 
Journal Article 
Application of metallic foams in an electrochemical pulsed flow reactor .2. Oxidation of benzyl alcohol 
Cognet, P; Berlan, J; Lacoste, G; Fabre, PL; Jud, JM 
1996 
1 
Journal of Applied Electrochemistry
ISSN: 0021-891X
EISSN: 1572-8838 
Springer Netherlands 
26 
6 
631-637 
English 
WOS:A1996UP47900010 
Packed beds of nickel foam are suitable porous three-dimensional anodes for the oxidation of organic substrates. The heterogeneous electrocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol on a three-dimensional nickel foam electrode was investigated in a pulsed flow reactor under homogeneous and two phase conditions. The aim of the work was to enhance the aldehyde yield. The activation of the nickel foam electrodes increases the electrolysis current up to 30% and then the alcohol conversion. To prevent further oxidation of aldehyde into acid, variable water/petroleum ether emulsions were studied. The best yields of benzaldehyde are obtained for a 16% petroleum ether volume ratio and a pH range 10-13 of the aqueous phase. Factorial analysis of the electrolysis under galvanostatic conditions showed that the amplitude and frequency of the pulsation are key hydrodynamic factors for the benzaldehyde yield. © 1996 Chapman & Hall.