ELECTROCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF DICHLOROACETIC ACID TO CHLOROACETIC ACID IN A MICROFLUIDIC STACK AND IN A SERIES OF MICROFLUIDIC REACTORS

The electrochemical conversion of dichloroacetic acid into chloracetic acid is performed in three different microdevices: a simple microfluidic cell; a microfluidic stack equipped with various electrode chambers in series and three microfluidic cells in series. The synthesis of chloracetic acid is performed successfully at low cell potentials without supporting electrolyte with high yields and selectivity under a single-pass mode. Optimization of the productivity and of the final concentration of the target product is achieved by using a stack with two or three electrode chambers in series. Using three microreactors in series offers interesting new perspectives, including the opportunity to modulate the current density among the reactors chain in order to optimize the figures of merit of the overall process. The effect of various operating parameters such as the initial concentration of dichloroacetic acid, the flow rate and the current density are also presented in detail.