Abstract:
Electrocatalytic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) represents a promising strategy for the valorization of biomass resources. However, the limited catalytic activity and selectivity of existing electrocatalysts have hindered further development and practical application in this field. To address this challenge, a two-dimensional bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheet, CoNi MOF, was designed as an electrocatalyst for selective electrooxidation of HMF to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) under alkaline conditions. Electrochemical evaluations revealed that the CoNi MOF catalyst exhibits outstanding catalytic performance in the HMF oxidation reaction (HMFOR). At a current density of 10 mA·cm
−2, the operating potential for HMF oxidation is reduced by 230 mV compared to that required for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), achieving HMF conversion rate of 91%, a stable FDCA yield of 86.6%, and a Faradaic efficiency of 86%. Additionally, the catalyst exhibited favorable kinetics toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), with a Tafel slope of 131 mV·dec
−1, and excellent cycling stability. Mechanistic indicate that the formation of Ni
3+ active sites significantly accelerates the reaction kinetics between active species and HMF during HMFOR. When coupling HER and HMFOR in a two-electrode system, a current density of 10 mA·cm
−2 can be achieved at a cell voltage of merely 1.58 V, demonstrating the feasibility of CoNi MOF for the simultaneous production of hydrogen and high-value-added chemicals. This work provides broad prospects for the development of high performance HMFOR electrocatalysts and advances the efficient conversion of biomass.