Minireview and Outlook of Electrochemical Palladium Membrane Reactors for Sustainable Hydrogenation

Hydrogenation, a fundamental chemical process in various industries, traditionally requires significant energy consumption due to high temperatures and pressure conditions. Although electrochemical hydrogenation operates under ambient conditions, it faces challenges such as limited solvent selection, product separation difficulties, and competing H2 evolution reactions. This Review provides a comprehensive overview of an integrated approach, the electrochemical palladium membrane reactors (ePMRs), which combine the advantages of thermocatalytic and electrocatalytic methods. ePMRs offer several benefits, including direct utilization of electricity for hydrogenations, avoidance of faradaic losses from competing reactions, enhanced mass transport, and controllable hydrogen supply. This Review also explores various applications and promising research directions of ePMRs in hydrogenation reactions, aiming to promote further research efforts to pave the way for their industrial development.