Boosting cathodic hydrogen evolution with furfuryl alcohol oxidation as the anodic half-reaction for hybrid water splitting

Both anode feedstock and integrated electrodes are highly significant for the development of hybrid water electrolysis technology. Herein, biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol is selected as the anode feedstock, mainly because it contains no base-labile group (e.g.,-CHO) and does not spontaneously undergo a Cannizzaro-type transformation under alkaline conditions. Bimetallic hydroxide nanowire arrays with nickel foam as the sub-strate (denoted Cu2Co(OH)x/NF) are designed and readily prepared via a microwave-assisted heating method. Then, Cu2Co(OH)x/NF is used as an integrated electrode for electrocatalytic furfuryl alcohol oxidation to value-added furoic acid with enhanced hydrogen production in 1.0 M NaOH. The input potential is reduced by approximately 219 mV when the oxygen evolution reaction is replaced by furfuryl alcohol oxidation to drive a current density of 10 mA cm-2. Moreover, the as-obtained electrode can be recycled several times without an obvious decline in carboxylate yield or Faradaic efficiency.

Automated summary

Both anode feedstock and integrated electrodes are important for the development of hybrid water electrolysis technology. In this study, biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol is selected as the anode feedstock, while Cu2Co(OH)x/NF is designed as the integrated electrode. The Cu2Co(OH)x/NF electrode exhibits enhanced hydrogen production and electrocatalytic furfuryl alcohol oxidation to value-added furoic acid in alkaline conditions.