Advances in Selective Electrochemical Oxidation of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural to Produce High‐Value Chemicals

Abstract

The conversion of biomass is a favorable alternative to the fossil energy route to solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution. As one of the most versatile platform compounds, 5-hydroxymethylfural (HMF) can be transformed to various value-added chemicals via electrolysis combining with renewable energy. Here, the recent advances in electrochemical oxidation of HMF, from reaction mechanism to reactor design are reviewed. First, the reaction mechanism and pathway are summarized systematically. Second, the parameters easy to be ignored are emphasized and discussed. Then, the electrocatalysts are reviewed comprehensively for different products and the reactors are introduced. Finally, future efforts on exploring reaction mechanism, electrocatalysts, and reactor are prospected. This review provides a deeper understanding of mechanism for electrochemical oxidation of HMF, the design of electrocatalyst and reactor, which is expected to promote the economical and efficient electrochemical conversion of biomass for industrial applications.

Tuning the adsorption behaviors of non-noble electrocatalysts to boost valorization of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

“…The conversion of HMF can be calculated by using eqn (6). The selectivity of FDCA or BHMF can be calculated by using eqn (7) or (8), while the production rate is calculated by using eqn (9).…”

“…In comparison, recently developed electrosynthesis techniques offer the advantages of better sustainability and higher cost-efficiency owing to the availability of "green" electricity. [7][8][9][10] Thus, the electrosynthesis of FDCA from HMF has been of great interest, which calls for advanced electrocatalyst design and in-depth understanding of the electrocatalysis mechanism.…”

Ni/TiO2 heterostructures derived from phase separation for enhanced electrocatalysis of hydrogen evolution and biomass oxidative upgrading in anion exchange membrane electrolyzers

“…1 Alkaline media has advantages in terms of catalyst selection range and catalyst cost. 2,3 Metallic Ni is a commonly used catalyst in electrochemistry in alkaline media due to its abundance and high stability. 4,5 However, the intrinsic activity of Ni is far from satisfactory either in hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) or biomass oxidation.…”

“…5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) derived from lignocellulose is an important bio-based platform compound. 3,4 2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is an oxidation product of HMF, which can be used as a monomer for bio-based plastics to replace petroleum-based poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). 3,4 The electrochemical oxidation of HMF is an efficient and green method to produce FDCA.…”

Cu2P7‐CoP Heterostructure Nanosheets Enable High‐Performance of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural Electrooxidation

“…[5] HMF can be oxidized to various organic substances, among which 2,5-furandicarboxylicacid (FDCA) has a broad application prospect. [6,7] FDCA is listed by the U.S. Department of Energy as the important compound for the establishment of green chemical industry in the future. Particularly, FDCA is an important precursor for producing bio-polymers (polyethylene furandicarboxylate: PEF).…”