Co- and V2O3-Modified Ni-Based Nanocatalyst for 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Electrooxidation

The electrooxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) provides a prospective method to produce high-value 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Since this multistep process includes the oxidation of aldehyde and hydroxyl groups, a deep understanding of the mechanism of HMF oxidation reaction (HMFOR) is crucial. Herein, the surface reconstruction of the nickel-based catalyst is regulated by Co and V2O3 modifications to reveal the relationship between the reconstructed surface and the HMFOR performance. The introduction of the V2O3 nanosheet facilitates the in situ reconstruction of the nickel-based nanocatalyst by enhancing the adsorption of OH*. The incorporation of Co adjusts the electronic structure of nickel, contributing to a decrease in the formation potential of NiOOH. Moreover, the insitugenerated NiOOH promotes the adsorption and activation of aldehyde and hydroxyl groups, providing beneficial effects for HMFOR. Impressively, Co–Ni/V2O3/NF needs only 1.29 VRHE to achieve 10 mA cm–2 for HMFOR and maintains high FDCA selectivity for 10 cycles. This work explains the regulations of V2O3 and Co on NiOOH species formation, which is conducive to designing an efficient nickel-based catalyst for HMF oxidation.