The aim of this interdisciplinary project was the development and commissioning of a reactor for generating oxygenated bleaching agents for use in washing machines. Bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and peracetic acid are hazardous substances and dangerous goods with limited storage stability. Therefore, safe electrochemical production at the point of use from non-hazardous raw materials is advantageous. The in-situ generated bleaching agent H₂O₂ is produced by electrochemical oxygen reduction at the cathode using a gas diffusion electrode and can subsequently be chemically converted to peracetic acid.

Initially, suitable commercial anode and separator materials were experimentally investigated and evaluated. For use in washing machines, a tap water-based electrolyte should be used. However, during the operation of the electrochemical reactor, deposits of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide form on the cathode. To avoid this, a complexing agent was added to the electrolyte, and the necessary concentration required to prevent the accumulation of deposits in the reactor was determined.

Based on these preliminary works, a prototype reactor was developed and commissioned with the washing machine. The experimentally determined cleaning performance of the prototype reactor in combination with a commercial automatic dosing system for liquid detergents was compared to the cleaning performance of powdered detergents and assessed as nearly equivalent. Finally, a life cycle assessment of the developed bleaching agent reactor was carried out.