Ni(1−x)Pdx Alloyed Nanostructures for Electrocatalytic Conversion of Furfural into Fuels

Abstract

A continuous electrocatalytic reactor offers a promising method for producing fuels and value-added chemicals via electrocatalytic hydrogenation of biomass-derived compounds. However, such processes require a better understanding of the impact of different types of active electrodes and reaction conditions on electrocatalytic biomass conversion and product selectivity. In this work, Ni1−xPdx (x = 0.25, 0.20, and 0.15) alloyed nanostructures were synthesized as heterogeneous catalysts for the electrocatalytic conversion of furfural. Various analytical tools, including XRD, SEM, EDS, and TEM, were used to characterize the Ni1−xPdx catalysts. The alloyed catalysts, with varying Ni to Pd ratios, showed a superior electrocatalytic activity of over 65% for furfural conversion after 4.5 h of reaction. In addition, various experimental parameters on the furfural conversion reactions, including electrolyte pH, furfural (FF) concentration, reaction time, and applied potential, were investigated to tune the hydrogenated products. The results indicated that the production of 2-methylfuran as a primary product (S = 29.78% after 1 h), using Ni0.85Pd0.15 electrocatalyst, was attributed to the incorporation of palladium and thus the promotion of water-assisted proton transfer processes. Results obtained from this study provide evidence that alloying a common catalyst, such as Ni with small amounts of Pd metal, can significantly enhance its electrocatalytic activity and selectivity.

Development of nickel vanadium-impregnated activated carbon nanocomposites for electrocatalytic conversion of furfural into fuels

“…Noticeably, nickel-based catalysts exhibit high activity in hydrogenating aromatic rings and aldehyde groups, making them particularly effective in promoting the reduction reaction of deoxidation [21,22]. The reduction of furfural by Pd-doped Ni was reported by Aboukhater et al [23] and alloy catalysts with different Ni to Pd ratios showed excellent electrocatalytic activity of over 65% after 4.5 h. A synergistic effect between Pd and Ni accounted for the stability of the catalysts, resulting in higher activity than each metal alone. Furthermore, the authors conclude that these results may provide a promising method for the electrochemical reduction of furfural.…”

Electrocatalytic conversion of biomass-derived furan compounds: mechanisms, catalysts and perspectives

“…136 Recent studies on the reduction of HMF and FF have generally shown that in non-acidic media (i.e., near-neutral or alkaline media), hydrogenation is the dominant reaction, whereas hydrogenolysis is promoted only in acidic media. 25,[137][138][139][140][141] Therefore, in this section, we will provide an overview of the pathway and mechanisms involved in the electrochemical reduction of HMF and furfural under different media conditions and discuss the factors that have an effect on the reaction selectivity.…”